Branding is the most important factor in building a successful product, making the market much harder to compete in. That isn't to say building a better mousetrap doesn't work; it does, but when was the last time you tried? Instead, when you know you can't build a better mousetrap, you simply build a better branded one with a new gimmick. This can be a hindrance to real innovation, but in an age of planned obsolescence, all bets are off.