When it comes to communicating the value of a brand, lists of features and benefits only go so far - it is the other aspects of the brand that create stickiness with the consumer, something that the consumer really wants to choose actively. It is the information about a brand that is responsible for connecting features and benefits to consumers in meaningful ways.

People want products not only to do things for them, but also to make them feel something about themselves. Intellectual capital - some intriguing or helpful information about a product - is one means by which a connection can be made with the consumer, far beyond what a product does or how it performs.

In the new brand paradigm, information is key. The real promise of intellectual capital is realized when knowledge becomes so intertwined with the brand that the brand itself becomes "brainy".