Brand Gap, The

THE BRAND GAP is the first book to present a unified theory of brand-building.  Whereas most books on branding are weighted toward either a strategic or creative approach, this book shows how both ways of thinking can unite to produce a “charismatic brand”—a brand that customers feel is essential to their lives. In an entertaining two-hour read you’ll learn: • the new definition of brand • the five essential disciplines of brand-building • how branding is changing the dynamics of competition • the three most powerful questions to ask about any brand • why collaboration is the key to brand-building • how design determines a customer’s experience • how to test brand concepts quickly and cheaply • the importance of managing brands from the inside • 220-word brand glossary From the back cover: Not since McLuhan’s THE MEDIUM IS THE MESSAGE has a book compressed so many ideas into so few pages. Using the visual language of the boardroom, Neumeier presents the first unified theory of branding—a set of five disciplines to help companies bridge the gap between brand strategy and customer experience. Those with a grasp of branding will be inspired by the new perspectives they find here, and those who would like to understand it better will suddenly “get it.” This deceptively simple book offers everyone in the company access to “the most powerful business tool since the spreadsheet.”

“The surprise book of the year!” — JOHN MOORE, EDITOR AT FAST COMPANY “The first book on brand that seems fresh and relevant.” — RIC GREFE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF AIGA, THE PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR DESIGN “A pleasure to read. THE BRAND GAP consistently provides deep, practical advice in a light, visual way. Learn about the power of imagery and the role of research in building a heavy-duty brand—without the heavy-duty reading.” — DAVID A. AAKER, AUTHOR OF BRAND PORTFOLIO STRATEGY AND BUILDING STRONG BRANDS “Finally, a book that cuts to the heart of what brand is all about—connecting the rational and the emotional, the theoretical and the practical, the logical and the magical to create a sustainable competitive advantage.” — SUSAN ROCKRISE, WORLDWIDE CREATIVE DIRECTOR, INTEL   “A well-managed brand is the lifeblood of any successful company. Read this book before your competitors do!” — TOM KELLEY, GENERAL MANAGER, IDEO, AND CO-AUTHOR OF THE ART OF INNOVATION “In THE BRAND GAP, Neumeier reminds us that the ultimate moment of truth for all brands is the customer experience. Customer perceptions trump our own perceptions.” — KURT KUEHN, SENIOR VP OF WORLDWIDE MARKETING AND SALES, UPS “This is not just another book on brand. This is the ONLY book you’ll need to read in business, engineering, and design school.” — CLEMENT MOK, design entrepreneur “Must-reading for anyone who wants to understand how their business strategy will succeed or fail when put to the ultimate test: ‘Do customers perceive a difference that’s desirable?’” — STEVE HARRINGTON, DIRECTOR OF STRATEGY AND OPERATIONS, HEWLETT-PACKARD “The book slices like a hot knife through all the turgid, pseudo-academic nonsense that surrounds branding. It’s now on the course list for my graduate students, and new members of my team at Ogilvy get a copy with their training materials.” — BRIAN COLLINS, EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR, OGILVY

Marty Neumeier's professional mission is to "incite business revolution by unleashing the power of design thinking." He does this by writing books, conducting workshops, and speaking internationally about the power of brand, innovation, and design. His bestselling "whiteboard" books include THE BRAND GAP, ZAG, and THE DESIGNFUL COMPANY. His video, MARTY NEUMEIER'S INNOVATION WORKSHOP, combines highlights from all three books into a hands-on learning experience. Marty serves as Director of Transformation at Liquid Agency, and divides his writing time between California and southwest France.