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Several resources have been indispensable in the development of this course. As soon as I've gotten my textbook published it will be at the top of this list! Any of these would be a useful addition to a branding student's library. If you know of a book or other resource that should be on this list, please send me an email ----------------------- The Brand Gap, Marty NeumeierThis book is short and concise, can fit easily in a large pocket (the author bills it as "a book you can finish in a short plane ride"), and is a real page-turner. If a PowerPoint presentation on the fundamentals of branding could be a book, this would be it. The Brand Gap is a great book for busy people who need to learn about branding but don't have unlimited amounts of time to plow through the vast resources available on the subject. ----------------------- The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding, Al Ries & Laura RiesWell-organized and thorough with useful sidebars throughout, this book has everything for those needing a grasp of the basics. It's basically a 22-step instruction manual for building successful brands. Almost every page features column sidebar notes and graphics. The "22 Laws" are followed by "The 11 Immutable Laws of Internet Branding," which demystify the occasionally illogical and even arbitrary theories of online branding. ----------------------- Designing Brand Identity, Alina WheelerA slick, hard-cover book brimming with extremely relevant examples of all elements of brand identity. See step-by-step how brandmarks and logotypes are created, names are arrived at, and packaging is developed. This coffee table-worthy book is brimming with photos, quotes from branding luminaries, and real-world examples of brand identity basics culled from essential agencies and resources. I'm still using the first edition; as soon as I stop finding ready-to-wear I can't live without I'll buy the second. ----------------------- From Brand Vision to Brand Evaluation, Leslie de ChernatonyProfessor De Chernatony's methods for building and sustaining brands are solidly detailed through his appealing writing style, and voluminous charts, graphs and illustrations. You can follow along with the numerous activities interspersed throughout the text, just to confirm that his concepts have sunk in. If this textbook inspires you to pursue studying under him, pack your bags (unless you happen to already be living in the UK). ----------------------- Dictionary of Brand, Marty NeumeierRead this compact 221-term book from front to back, and you will have a comprehensive understanding of branding in under an hour. Employing many of the same page layout sensibilities as The Brand Gap, Neumeier's Dictionary of Brand keeps form running neck-and-neck with function. It is undeterminable whether this copy of the book is falling apart due to a poorly-made binding, or overuse from daily perusal. Merriam-Webster could take some hints from Neumeier in the art of supplementing terms with attractive illustrations and useful diagrams. ----------------------- Brand Failures, Matt HaigFar more fascinating than Haig's companion book on Brand Royalty, "Failures" tears the scabs off the branding disasters that companies go to great lengths to brush under the rug. Perhaps unintentionally funny, this book tells the largely-forgotten, pathetic tales of such half-baked ventures as Gerber Singles (adult food packaged in baby food jars), Smith and Wesson mountain bikes, and the 1955 Dodge La Femme (a pink car with lipstick holders). Almost every session of the class begins with analyzing a brand failure in-depth to set the stage for the session's topic; I put hefty amounts of stock in learning from mistakes! Buy a bottle of Pepsi Clear on eBay and stroll down a quicksand-addled memory lane with this nostalgic tome. ----------------------- Before & After: Graphics For Business, John McWadeYou don't need an MFA to design logos or business cards. This easy-to-follow book shows you how to create professional business graphics in minutes. The directions are user-friendly, and manage to avoid reference to any software programs; if you are marginally conversant with anything from Word to Illustrator, you'll be able to follow along. Ample direction exists between the "before" flops and the "after" showstoppers. You can find the chapter on logo design here. ----------------------- Kellogg on BrandingIf you're looking for a more scholarly approach to branding, this book's for you. A product of the Marketing Faculty of The Kellogg School of Management, Kellogg on Branding consists of twenty chapters written by professors and executives who are experts on specific topics. This book might be most beneficial to established brand managers, but students will be able to keep up with it handily. ----------------------- Brand Aid, Brad VanAukenThere are literally dozens of flags marking pages in my copy of Brand Aid. Pick up a copy, and it will undoubtedly look the same in short order. Brand Aid functions equally well as a troubleshooter for underperforming, established brands, and as a toolkit for launching new brands destined for legendary status. ----------------------- Branding Faith, Phil CookeExperts in the field may find this book a bit undergraduated, but Branding Faith serves as an effective (if folksy) overview for those who aren’t up on branding as being anything other than an excruciating experience for cattle (this proof-of-ownership method does precede JC's birth by a couple thousand years, after all). I found it amusing that Phil Cooke held off until page 156 for the heading "A Logo Isn't a Brand." In case you didn't know… ----------------------- BrandSimple, Allen P. AdamsonThere wasn’t a lot of information in this book I haven’t found elsewhere, but it’s got lots of good case studies, and I like Adamson’s comparison of a person’s knowledge base of a brand as being comparable to a file on their mental desktop (this notion really seemed to resonate with students). It concludes with a “Top Ten” list of essential “BrandSimple” concepts you might find useful, so feel no guilt about starting at the end and working your way back. ----------------------- Pantone Guide to Communicating with Color, Leatrice EisemanColor selection is critical in brand development. This book will help you make sense of the oftentimes baffling science of color theory. When you need to communicate a mood, emotion, or personality through color you have only to browse through the hundreds of well-organized and meaningful color combinations provided. Bring this book with you to the paint aisle at Home Depot the next time you decide to overhaul a room. ----------------------- Meet Mr. Product: The Art of the Advertising CharacterNot a textbook; just an adorable pocket-sized trifle brimming with over 500 illustrations of spokescharacters. It’s helped me in the selection of graphics for both my spokescharacter and nostalgia lectures. ----------------------- Retro Graphics, Jonathan Raimes & Lakshmi BhaskaranIn retro brand design, nothing is more jarring than an anachronistic font, color palette, or graphic selection. Retro Graphics: A Visual Sourcebook to 100 Years of Graphic Design is a great place to look for specifics when you want to recreate the style of a bygone era (with the exception of the 1980's; I thought the section dedicated to this decade seemed like an afterthought). The step-by-step instructions are easy to follow, and the full-color presentation is gorgeous. Viva nostalgia! ----------------------- Communication Arts Design AnnualThis stunning periodical features the best-of-the-best in everything from package design to posters. Are you a student? Get one of your professors to register with Communication Arts so you can take advantage of the hefty student discount! ----------------------- |
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