“Because the purpose of business is to create a customer, the business enterprise has two—and only two—basic functions: marketing and innovation.”
—Peter Drucker

Some business principles come and go. Others stand the test of time.

Why do some companies grow year after year, while others lose momentum—even after decades of success?
What separates enduring brands from those that peak, plateau, or pivot without purpose?

To answer those questions, we studied seven iconic companies—brands that didn’t just win once, but found ways to evolve and grow over time:
Amazon, Apple, Google, Nike, Southwest Airlines, Starbucks, and The Walt Disney Company.

Each of these firms has demonstrated remarkable success through different market cycles, technologies, and leadership eras, guided by enduring business principles. But lately, even some of these giants have faced headwinds. Nike, Starbucks, Disney, and Southwest Airlines—four companies widely admired for customer-centric innovation—have experienced strategic drift, leadership turnover, and declining relevance in key areas.

What’s the common thread?

They took their eye off three critical, enduring business principles—and the corresponding best practices that support them.

And the solution?

Getting back to those fundamentals—including doubling down on the things that made them great in the first place, and using those as a springboard for renewed growth. That means reconnecting with the organization’s core purpose and strategic DNA, and putting in place leadership that deeply understands the brand, the customer, and what the company uniquely stands for.

What Endures: A Shared Strategic Framework

When we studied these companies, we weren’t just looking at what made them successful in the moment. We looked for what they had in common over time. Despite their differences in industry, customer base, and go-to-market approach, they share a common system—one we call the Upstream Marketing Framework.

At its core, upstream marketing is about getting strategy right before execution begins. It’s about aligning around a clear customer, a compelling value proposition, and a meaningful brand purpose.

This framework centers on three enduring business principles:

1. Insight

These companies continuously pursue deep customer understanding—moving beyond data to uncover unmet needs, motivations, and pain points. They define markets in customer terms and seek clarity early in the process, not just when it’s time to sell.

2. Identity

They have a well-defined sense of self. Their brand purpose, value proposition, and positioning are clear—and guide decisions across the business. Identity provides focus. It answers: What do we stand for? Why do we matter?

3. Innovation

They deliver new value, but not randomly. Innovation is purposeful and aligned with insight and identity. It’s not innovation for innovation’s sake—it’s about solving the right problems in ways that reinforce the brand.

These principles power four strategic questions:

  • Where to play? (Insight)
  • How to win? (Identity)
  • How might we? (Innovation)
  • What would have to be true? (Integration and execution)

Why It Still Matters

What makes this framework powerful isn’t just that it worked for these companies once—it’s that it still works, when applied with discipline.

In fact, some of these firms are now rediscovering their upstream roots. As leadership changes sweep across Nike, Starbucks, Disney, and Southwest Airlines, the focus is shifting back to fundamentals: reconnecting with customers, reasserting purpose, and returning to the value propositions that originally made them great.
(The jury is still out on Southwest Airlines—more about that here.)

Upstream marketing is not a trend. It’s a discipline. It’s how world-class companies grow—on purpose, with purpose.

In the posts ahead, we’ll explore each of these business principles in depth, sharing how they come to life across the best-practice companies we studied. Whether you’re in a high-growth phase or navigating a reset, the upstream mindset is how you get—and stay—ahead.

Because in a noisy, fast-moving world, the companies that win are the ones that think before they act—and start where all growth begins: upstream.

Get Started With Free Upstream Marketing Resources

At EquiBrand Consulting, we help businesses craft customer-centric value propositions that drive success. Whether you’re refining your positioning, enhancing differentiation, or better connecting with your audience, we provide the tools and insights to guide you.

To jumpstart your efforts, we’re offering these free resources:

Access these resources today and begin applying the business principles that will create lasting success.