build a brand, I learned from KISS." But underneath all of the makeup, spandex, and hair is a group of intelligent people who care- fully crafted the evolution of the KISS brand. At the helm of the organization are Gene Simmons-the long-tongued, fire-breathing, marketer extraordinaire-and Paul Stanley-cofounder, visionary, and philosopher. Perhaps the greatest business lessons they offer lie beyond the marketing and branding tactics the band employed; rather, they lie in the area of strategy. KISS is living proof that you have to get the strategy right before you can get the brand right. Sound complex? Au contraire. The beauty of the KISS equation for mass acceptance and financial success is in its foundation of sim- plicity. Have vision; define an image; talk to people; give them what they want; package it with a dose of fantasy; and make them a part of something bigger and more exotic than they could be on their own. But simplicity doesnt mean absence of strategy, nor does it mean anything less than precise execution. "We always envisioned ourselves playing to huge audiences," ex- plains Simmons in an interview on VH1s KISS: Beyond the Makeup. Stanley adds, "We wanted to look like the band we never saw, sound like the band we never heard. We wanted to be the ultimate combi- nation of all the things we loved." KISSs simple strategy was executed with such distinction that since 1972 it has sold more than 80 million records and is the music industrys all-time merchandising and licensing leader with over a billion dollars in revenue-half of that generated in the past five years. Its merchandise portfolio includes 2,500 licensed products sold around the world. Never conclude that the strategy you are about to see unfold is just about the brand power of a winning rock band. KISS made the tran- sition from fledgling to icon with the aid of a host of strategies from which entrepreneurs, marketing managers, and retailers looking to enhance the shopping experience in their stores can learn. The KISS saga focuses on:     S Building a fan base by capturing markets competitors deem secondary     S Capturinga unique position in the market by developing the entertainment value of your product experience   S Developing a two-way relationship with customers that not only lets you connect to fans but lets fans connect to you   S Creatingavehicleforyourcustomers to participate in and live your brand