Steve Jobs believed that customers don’t form their opinions based on how a company markets itself. Instead, they form opinions based on the product itself. No matter how clever or well-funded a marketing campaign might be, if the product doesn’t deliver, customers will notice. He often pointed to Japanese companies as the perfect example. Their success didn’t come from aggressive advertising. It came from building consistently great products. Over time, people began to associate Japanese brands with quality—not because they were told to, but because they experienced it firsthand. Follow @simplyougrow for more. Media: American Society for Quality, Quality Management Division