overshadows her musical product. Whether by design or by happen- stance (and its hard to believe that anything she does isnt by design), Madonnas product is as much about Madonna as it is about her     music. In her video Truth or Dare, she says, "I know Im not the best singer, and I know Im not the best dancer. But Im not interested in that. Im interested in pushing peoples buttons, in being provocative." And push buttons she has, managing to capture mass attention from fans and the media based on how she lives even more than on how she sings. Even people who didnt like her during her bubble-gum pop days of the early 1980s and have been asking themselves when she will go away? have come to realize that shes not going to. She has eclipsed the commercial accomplishments of many other more talented musi- cians because of the overall package she has created-one that focuses on experiences, events, and extravaganzas, and one that reaps the re- wards of the publicity they create. Two recent biographies-Madonna, by Andrew Morton (St. Mar- tins Press, 2001) and Goddess, by Barbara Victor (HarperCollins, 2001)-chronicle the lifestyle that grabs headlines and entices peo- ple to engage in her performances in a wide variety of media. Both books, Ann Oldenburg wrote in USA Today, "portray a driven, ambi- tious woman who had star quality from childhood and a sassy, brassy star who falls in love easily, only to become insecure and needy in her relationships. Both books paint a picture of a disciplined creature who prizes organization and being in control and who has put her quest for stardom before just about anything else." Stardom doesnt come easy for anyone, including Madonna, who has thrived primarily due to her raw ambition rather than raw talent. Her discipline serves as a reminder to even the most experienced mar- keters that laziness can lead to obsolescence, diminished awareness, and a tarnished position among competitive brands. Competitiveness, diligence, and brilliant execution, on the other hand, lead to staying power. And Madonna definitely has proven that she has that. One of Madonnas most lethal weapons in the war to remain rele- vant has been continual brand reinvention. The changes she under- takes to redefine herself every five years or so go beyond the gradual evolution many other bands undergo. Madonnas brand sustenance is complicated by the fact that one of her brand promises is to be on the cutting edge of newness in the areas of fashion, expression, exercise, and other lifestyle trends. Because of this positioning, a gradual evolu- tionary approach to change, which fans of many other bands prefer, would disappoint Madonnas fans; they expect her to change the way     she looks, sounds, and lives. Joel Denver, founder of AllAccess.com, one of the industrys leading sources on music trends and informa- tion, has watched performers rise to and fall from stardom for decades. Madonna, he says, is a master at reinvention. "She zigs when you expect her to zag," he says. "She taps the direction of society and relects that in her music, concerts, visuals, and appearance-in her overall brand." Madonna has mastered a chameleon-like approach to staying true to the foundation of her brand. She doesnt walk away from a brand