Humorous, practical and everything you need to know about branding.
This is a different kind of business book. You will find no jargon or
dense, theory-laden text.
Building a brand with impact is one of the most important tasks that any
business faces. Few people understand how to actually go about creating an effective
brand. This book is a no holds barred guide to what brand building is, what it isn’t and
exactly what you have to do to build your brand.
Be inspired by real-life stories from the people who did and didn’t mess
with their logo and succeeded or failed as a result. Read the stories from big-name brands
like Orange, M&S, Red Bull, Apple, Innocent, PwC and FCUK.
There are numerous brand books but they either fall into the dull, worthy and
theoretical which nobody reads or they tell case studies of famous brands which are soon
out of date and which do not easily translate into practical advice. This book is
unashamedly the antidote to that. It will tell you all you need to know about branding and
entertain you at the same time.
Jon Edge
Jon has worked on some of the biggest names in branding, including Nissan, Sony,
Toyota, Disney, Apple and Orange. E is one half of modern artists EDGE & CARR and is
also currently a consultant for WHAM. Jon also set up his own company ‘Edgey Ideas’ in
2006. He still has aspirations to be mildly amusing and was also once stuck in a lift.
Andy Milligan
Andy is a leading international brand consultant. He moved to Singapore in 2002 to
become the managing director of Interbrand’s South East Asia operations. He now runs his
own company specialising in training and development Andy has worked on a wide range of
programmes in Japazi Corp, Barclays, BiC, OSIM, Cerebros, FIFA, ATP Tour, London
Underground and Roche. Andy makes frequent appearances in the media, on BBC, CNN, and
CNBC. He is the co-editor of Uncommon Practice, 2006 which has sold over 13,000 copies
since 2002.
Table of Contents
Introduction: So do we really need another book about branding?
What this book is all about, why we’ve written it and how to read it for maximum
effect
Chapter 1: Why you should jump on the brandwagon. The value of brands
How branding has become the battleground for businesses, why they are the best ways of
making money for companies and why despite this there is so little understanding of them.
What characterises a great brand. And what doesn’t.
Chapter 2: Strategy Schmategy. How to develop your brand strategy
Everyone has a different definition of what strategy is. This chapter tells you exactly
what brand strategy is and what it isn’t and why it’s different from business
strategies, creative strategies, media strategies and any other strategy you care to
mention. It will tell you the 5 questions you need to ask to ensure you have a good
strategy and will tell you how to avoid convoluted and theoretical brand models with
ridiculous names – remember all brand onions end in tears
Case study: Orange, Red Bull
Chapter 3: The house that brand built. Why you need brand architecture.
How many brands do I need? What’s the difference between a brand, a sub-brand and a
product name? How do I stop people creating logos and names for every initiative my
company thinks of? These and many more questions will be answered in Chapter 3. It tells
you where you should spend your money – how not to confuse an exciting marketing fad
with a long-term profitable brand and what do say to a consultant who asks you if your
master brand is the hero brand when it’s the range brand from a sub-brand (answer:
‘you’re fired’!)
Case study: BMW, Unilever
Chapter 4: Apples and Oranges™. How to create a great brand identity
Branding is a disciplined process requiring strategic, creative, linguistic and legal
skills; it is not about fiddling around with fancy logos and ads. Here’s how to:
- create a brand name
- build a brand identity
- understand the difference between brand identity and advertising
- tell people why and how not to f**k with the logo
Case study: Orange
Chapter 5: It’s not what you say, it’s what you do. Managing the customer
experience
People in branding obsess about logos and ads. DOH! Brands are built through what you
deliver to customers (your advertising is merely part of that experience). Here are the 7
key lessons you need to bear in mind to design an experience that will delight customers.
Case study: M&S
Chapter 6: What’s the point of testing it? How to use research
Research is a dangerous word in brand building. Too much of the wrong sort is done at
the wrong time and with the wrong interpretations put on it. This chapter tells you what
you should research and what you shouldn’t, when and when not to research and what kind
of research is needed for what part of the brand building process. It also tells you when
to ignore research and the key questions you need to ask to ensure you have the right
research.
Case study: Pantene, Chanel
Chapter 7: Pony tails, bow ties and lunch at The Ivy…How to manage the agency
boys and girls and suppliers
The modern business executive is faced by a bewildering array of agencies, consultants,
creative hotshops, media houses, digital specialists, brand experience gurus etc– they
all want to get their hands on your budget and most of them want the credit for your
success. So here is how to understand what type of supplier to use for what type of task,
which one is right for you, how to get them to work together and the key questions you
need them to answer so you can tell the ‘serious bullshit’ from the ‘silver
bullet’
Case study: 3
Chapter 8:Send Lawyers Guns & Money; How to Protect Your Brand
You don’t have a brand in any meaningful sense if you don’t have a protected trade
mark - and that is just the basics. But how much does the modern marketer know about trade
mark law? Hardly anything. It’s like buying a house without a solicitor. You wouldn’t
do it. This chapter explains what:
- intellectual property law is
- why it is so important
- the questions you need to ask your lawyer to make sure your IP rights are secure
If you don’t get this right you lose your brand, damage your reputation and someone
steals YOUR money
Case study; Volvo sex clubs, Sony Walkman, Baywatch
Chapter 9: Being different: The importance of standing up, standing out and
standing on your competitors
Managing a brand on a daily basis is hard bloody work, ensuring you maintain your
perceived difference while at the same time taking advantage of other people’s
innovations and responding to new trends means you can sometimes feel a schizophrenic or a
paranoiac or a brand fascist. This chapter talks about how to maintain your cool when
managing your brand; it shows you:
- how to keep innovating
- how to sift through all the noise made in the market for what is and want isn’t a
threat
- how to spot the warning signs that something is going wrong
Case study: PS2
Chapter 10. What to measure and when?
ROI is a holy grail in business. No one has ever cracked it. However, there are a load
of measures out there and it’s important to know which ones to use and what to look for
and what NOT to measure
Case study: Samsung
Chapter 11. When to f**k with the logo
Rules are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men. Sometimes you have
to f**k with the logo because the logo is ‘f**ked’! This tells you how to bend the
rules so that you keep your brand fresh and relevant.
Case study: f.c.u.k.
Chapter 12. Ten ways to f**k-up your logo
The 10 most common mistakes brand owners make which destroys or at least damages the
brand
Chapter 13. Sex Sells
Because it does.
Appendices
- Glossary of brand-babble so you know what the enemy is talking about
- Clever things to say to make it look like you know more about branding than you do
- Alternative reading list – books we like which can teach you even more
240 pages, Paperback