"Jon and Andy lay out a road-map for great brand management, packed with

the essentials of brand theory and practical tips to make it happen. It does

for brand management what the Haynes workshop manuals do for cars."

Peter Gowers, Chief Executive, InterContinental Hotels Group, Asia-Pacific

"Brands are about difference and personality. This book really is different. It makes you think and makes you smile!"

Peter Fisk, The Genius Works

"Branding isn't rocket science but it sometimes pretends to be. Here's abook without such pretensions, a book to make you smile, learning while you smile."

John Simmons, Director, The Writer

"an enjoyable read full of practical tips. There is far too much jargon in business generally and in branding and communications in particular, this book is an entertaining antidote to that"

Mike Lee, OBE, CEO Vero Communications

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fall into the dull, worthy and theoretical which nobody reads or they tell case studies of famous brands which are soon out of date and which do not easily translate into practical advice.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.

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