Building a strong brand is essential for success in today’s crowded marketplace. A strong brand can help differentiate your products or services, create a strong emotional connection with your customers, and increase loyalty and retention.
At the heart of any successful brand strategy is a strong brand design and identity. A well-designed brand strategy can help you create a cohesive visual language across all touchpoints, while a strong brand identity design can help communicate your brand’s values and personality.
To help you build a strong brand strategy and design, we’ve put together a list of 10 must-read books on brand strategy, brand design, and brand identity design*.
1, Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen
Author: Donald Miller
Brand Strategy
Donald Miller is a New York Times bestselling author and the CEO of Business Made Simple, a company that provides resources and training for business leaders.
The book provides a practical framework for businesses to clarify their message and connect with customers. It emphasizes the importance of storytelling and offers tips on how to create a clear and compelling brand message. The book is well-written and easy to understand, with lots of practical examples and actionable advice.
2, Brand Thinking and Other Noble Pursuits
Author: Debbie Millman
Brand Strategy
Debbie Millman is a renowned graphic designer, author, educator, and host of the popular podcast “Design Matters,” which features in-depth conversations with some of the most influential designers, artists, and creative thinkers of our time.
This book is a collection of interviews with branding experts and thought leaders. It covers a wide range of topics related to branding, including the history of branding, the role of design in branding, and the future of branding.
3, The Brand Gap: How to Bridge the Distance Between Business Strategy and Design
Author: Marty Neumeier
Brand Strategy and Design
Marty Neumeier is a respected author and speaker in the field of branding and design, with a wealth of experience in helping companies build successful brands that resonate with their customers. His insights on brand strategy and creativity have been influential in the marketing world for over two decades.
The book argues that in order to succeed, businesses need to bridge the gap between their business strategy and design. It provides a framework for creating a strong brand and offers insights into the role of design in branding.
4, Brand Aid: A Quick Reference Guide to Solving Your Branding Problems and Strengthening Your Market Position
Author: Brad VanAuken
Brand Strategy
Brad VanAuken is a branding expert, author, and speaker with over 35 years of experience in brand management, advertising, and marketing communications, helping companies create and manage strong, effective brands that drive business growth. He is also the founder and president of BrandForward, a branding consultancy that works with clients across industries to build and enhance their brands.
This book offers practical advice on how to build a strong brand. It covers topics such as brand positioning, brand identity, and brand extensions. It also provides case studies and examples of successful branding strategies.
5, Brand Identity Essentials: 100 Principles for Designing Logos and Building Brands
Author: Kevin Budelmann, Yang Kim, and Curt Wozniak
Brand Identity Design
Kevin Budelmann, Yang Kim, and Curt Wozniak are the founders of Peopledesign, a design and branding consultancy that helps companies build meaningful brands and engaging experiences. With decades of experience in design, brand strategy, and user experience, they have worked with a wide range of clients across industries, from startups to Fortune 500 companies, to create compelling brand identities and customer experiences that drive business success.
The book provides a comprehensive guide to designing brand identities. It covers topics such as logo design, typography, color, and brand guidelines. It also includes case studies and examples of successful brand identity designs.
6, Logo Design Love: A Guide to Creating Iconic Brand Identities
Author: David Airey
Brand Identity Design
David Airey is a well-known graphic designer, author, and blogger, recognized for his expertise in brand identity design, with a particular focus on logo design. With over 15 years of experience working with clients around the world, he has built a reputation for creating distinctive and effective visual identities that help businesses stand out in their markets.
This book provides a step-by-step guide to creating a strong brand identity. It covers topics such as logo design, typography, color, and branding strategy. It also includes case studies and examples of successful logo designs.
7, Designing Brand Identity: An Essential Guide for the Whole Branding Team
Author: Alina Wheeler
Brand Identity Design
Alina Wheeler is a branding consultant, author, and speaker, recognized for her expertise in brand strategy and design. With over three decades of experience in the industry, she has worked with a wide range of clients, from startups to global corporations, to create powerful and impactful brand identities that connect with customers and drive business growth.
This book covers all aspects of brand identity design, from research and strategy to implementation and management, providing practical advice and real-world examples throughout. With insights from industry leaders and a wealth of case studies, this book is a valuable resource for anyone involved in branding, design, marketing, or business strategy.
8, Design is Storytelling
Author: Ellen Lupton
Graphic Design, Typography, and Design Thinking
Ellen Lupton is a renowned graphic designer, curator, and writer, known for her influential work in design education and criticism. She is the author of numerous books on graphic design, typography, and design thinking, and is a curator at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City.
This is a thought-provoking book that explores the connection between design and storytelling, arguing that effective design is fundamentally about creating compelling narratives that connect with audiences. Drawing on examples from a wide range of media, including graphic design, advertising, and product design, the book offers insights and practical advice for designers looking to use storytelling to create more engaging and impactful designs.
9, ZAG: The #1 Strategy of High-Performance Brands
Author: Marty Neumeier
Brand Strategy and Design
Marty Neumeier is a respected author and speaker in the field of branding and design, with a wealth of experience in helping companies build successful brands that resonate with their customers. His insights on brand strategy and creativity have been influential in the marketing world for over two decades.
We recommend this book because it provides a fresh perspective on brand strategy and positioning. The book focuses on the concept of zagging, or finding a unique and compelling point of differentiation, and provides lots of practical advice and examples.
10, The Win Without Pitching Manifesto
Author: Blair Enns
Consultant, Author, and Speaker in the creative services industry
Blair Enns is known for his expertise in agency positioning, new business development, and pricing. With over two decades of experience working with agencies and creative firms, he is the founder of Win Without Pitching, a training and coaching organization that helps agencies win more business on their own terms.
This book is not eally talking about brand design, but it is for those who sell ideas and advice. It is a groundbreaking book that challenges the traditional model of agency new business development, arguing that agencies should not give away their expertise through the pitch process. With practical advice and thought-provoking insights, the book provides a blueprint for agency owners and leaders looking to build more sustainable and profitable businesses.
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