The Brand Gap is written by Marty Neumeier. He writes about brand, design, innovation, and creativity. You can learn lot of thing about brand with this book. In this book, he starts what a brand isn’t. When I saw this title, I thought Marty is very creative because most of authors would title what a brand is instead of what a brand isn’t. He describes brand in easy way. First, brand is not a logo. Logo is kind of trademark. He says that trademark includes a logo, symbol, monogram, emblem, or other graphic devices. He provides example, which is easy to understand. IBM uses a monogram while Nike uses a symbol. Both are trademarks but logos. Second brand is not a corporate identity. I believe that most people think that brand is a corporate identity because I did before. Identity system is for controlling the use of trademark. Finally, brand is a not product. I agree with that. Brand is more important thing underlying products. Since this book is related to my major, and I have studied about brand, I understand all these three, and can agree with what he said. According to the author, “a brand is a person’s gut feeling about a product, service, or company. It’s a GUT FEELING because we’re all emotional, intuitive beings, despite our best efforts to be rational” (Marty 2). “In other words, a brand is not what you say it is. It is what they say it is” (Marty 2).
He writes the reasons why brand is so hot now in the next chapter. I am really interested in this topic because it can be reasons why branding is important. According to this book, our purchasing choices are multiple because there is much information nowadays while we have too little time. Moreover, there are so many products, which have similar quality and features. Marty says that our base of choosing products is more on symbolic and attribute. I think it is right. There are so many similar products in our society. I choose a product based on popularity, people who use it, place it is sold, and credibility. I also see if its product looks great and attractive for me based on my gut feeling of that product.
I found interesting title in this book that is the 7 criteria for a good name. These 7 criteria are distinctiveness, brevity, appropriateness, easy spelling and pronunciation, likeability, extendibility, and protectability. Since there are similar companies offering similar products, those are very important. I think easy spelling and pronunciation is most important among those criteria although it is very basic. I believe that globalization on business is increased. So the name should be easy to read for all people in all over the world.
He also shows an example of the brand gap. There are always two types of thinking, which are left-brain thinking (analytical, logical, linear, concrete, numerical, verbal), and right-brain thinking (intuitive, emotional, spatial, visual, physical). According to this book, most strategist and marketing people are left-brain thinking, and creative people such as designers are right-brain thinking. Marty says, “Whenever there’s a rift between strategy and creativity- between logic and magic- there’s a brand gap” (Marty 15). Right-brain thinking people understand what left-brain thinking people do. However, left-brain thinking people sometimes do not understand right-brain thinking people. Left-brain thinking people always think logically, not emotionally. That is why it is not easy to create a charismatic brand. I have learned similar thing. I read Truth, Lies & Advertising written by Jon Steel before, and there is chapter titled “Who Should Conduct Creative Development Research?” Steel, who is author of that book, compared advertising agency (right-brain thinking) and independent researcher (left-brain thinking). He said that agency planners should conduct because it needs moderator who is not only well versed in the realities of the client’s business, but also has an understanding of, and sensitive to, the creative process. Even though independent researchers have developed research skills and technically superior researchers, advertising agency has both abilities as researchers and highly developed creative skills.
There are five factors to become a charismatic brand: differentiate, collaborate, innovate, validate, and cultivate. If a corporate creates well these five factors, it will be able to become the brands above. I think differentiate is most important among these five factors. According to the author, differentiation works because of the way the human cognitive system works. Human get data from our senses, and mostly human rely on sense such as sight. Then the brain takes and begins to make meaning. It can be estimated companies need to make well design product or service because people rely on sight. I re-realized design is important for branding. My major is about design, and I have learned that visualization such as packaging, advertising, image color, etc. is important how people accept your product. Now I know it is also important for marketing that means what I am studying is strongly related to marketing. According to this book, the traditional view of design is that it has four possible goals to identify, to inform, to entertain, or to persuade. But with branding there’s a fifth to differentiate (Marty 35). I agree with that differentiation is a fifth goal. Differentiation is definitely a significant factor to compete with other companies. Many subjects such as Marketing, Operations Management, Management Information systems, and Supply Chain Management mention about differentiation, and all said it is irreplaceable for companies’ success.
While I have learned many new things about business from every book review, contents of this book were more familiar to me than other book reviews, and I could rethink about branding and design and realized that it is important. This book was easy to read and understand. I will recommend this book to my friends because it is very useful, and I will read it again someday.
He writes the reasons why brand is so hot now in the next chapter. I am really interested in this topic because it can be reasons why branding is important. According to this book, our purchasing choices are multiple because there is much information nowadays while we have too little time. Moreover, there are so many products, which have similar quality and features. Marty says that our base of choosing products is more on symbolic and attribute. I think it is right. There are so many similar products in our society. I choose a product based on popularity, people who use it, place it is sold, and credibility. I also see if its product looks great and attractive for me based on my gut feeling of that product.
I found interesting title in this book that is the 7 criteria for a good name. These 7 criteria are distinctiveness, brevity, appropriateness, easy spelling and pronunciation, likeability, extendibility, and protectability. Since there are similar companies offering similar products, those are very important. I think easy spelling and pronunciation is most important among those criteria although it is very basic. I believe that globalization on business is increased. So the name should be easy to read for all people in all over the world.
He also shows an example of the brand gap. There are always two types of thinking, which are left-brain thinking (analytical, logical, linear, concrete, numerical, verbal), and right-brain thinking (intuitive, emotional, spatial, visual, physical). According to this book, most strategist and marketing people are left-brain thinking, and creative people such as designers are right-brain thinking. Marty says, “Whenever there’s a rift between strategy and creativity- between logic and magic- there’s a brand gap” (Marty 15). Right-brain thinking people understand what left-brain thinking people do. However, left-brain thinking people sometimes do not understand right-brain thinking people. Left-brain thinking people always think logically, not emotionally. That is why it is not easy to create a charismatic brand. I have learned similar thing. I read Truth, Lies & Advertising written by Jon Steel before, and there is chapter titled “Who Should Conduct Creative Development Research?” Steel, who is author of that book, compared advertising agency (right-brain thinking) and independent researcher (left-brain thinking). He said that agency planners should conduct because it needs moderator who is not only well versed in the realities of the client’s business, but also has an understanding of, and sensitive to, the creative process. Even though independent researchers have developed research skills and technically superior researchers, advertising agency has both abilities as researchers and highly developed creative skills.
There are five factors to become a charismatic brand: differentiate, collaborate, innovate, validate, and cultivate. If a corporate creates well these five factors, it will be able to become the brands above. I think differentiate is most important among these five factors. According to the author, differentiation works because of the way the human cognitive system works. Human get data from our senses, and mostly human rely on sense such as sight. Then the brain takes and begins to make meaning. It can be estimated companies need to make well design product or service because people rely on sight. I re-realized design is important for branding. My major is about design, and I have learned that visualization such as packaging, advertising, image color, etc. is important how people accept your product. Now I know it is also important for marketing that means what I am studying is strongly related to marketing. According to this book, the traditional view of design is that it has four possible goals to identify, to inform, to entertain, or to persuade. But with branding there’s a fifth to differentiate (Marty 35). I agree with that differentiation is a fifth goal. Differentiation is definitely a significant factor to compete with other companies. Many subjects such as Marketing, Operations Management, Management Information systems, and Supply Chain Management mention about differentiation, and all said it is irreplaceable for companies’ success.
While I have learned many new things about business from every book review, contents of this book were more familiar to me than other book reviews, and I could rethink about branding and design and realized that it is important. This book was easy to read and understand. I will recommend this book to my friends because it is very useful, and I will read it again someday.