Iconic Advantage: Don't Chase the New, Innovate the Old

Yu argues that lasting brand advantage comes from deepening the icons a company already owns rather than chasing every new thing. A commercial strategy that, in SDF terms, ties Procedures and Outcomes to the Economics motto — durable value over disposable novelty. Written with Dave Birss, the book argues against the common business advice to constantly disrupt and chase novelty, proposing instead that companies build lasting differentiation and deeper customer relationships by developing the value already locked into products they own. Yu presents a framework for reaching 'iconic' status that he argues applies to businesses of any size, from large corporations to small local companies.