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Brand Simple, written by Landor Associates expert, Allen P. Adamson, is essentially a “brand bible.”  First published in 2006, it explains in clear, actionable language, what the best brands know and how the most successful brands succeed.  Yes, the examples are now six years old, but for me it is Adamson’s clear language that keeps this book relevant and useful.

[For a more comprehensive outline of the book itself, visithttp://www.brandsimple.com/]

Key takeaways from this book include:

1. Clear vocabulary and definitions

Brand idea: Simple, differentiated, and relevant meaning. What a brand stands for in people’s minds.

Branding: Process of creating and managing the signals that generate images and feelings about a brand.

Brand signals: Anything that is an expression of the brand idea.

By keeping it clear and simple, it is possible to define a brand in a useful way – bringing branding down from the concept clouds into the land of action.

2. Five steps to help your brand succeed:

1. Establish your brand idea
2. Capture the essence of your idea
3. Get your employees engaged in the idea
4. Consider your brand’s name
5. Create brand signals beyond the name

For each one of these steps, Adamson shares simple tips that seem like common sense, but it is their simplicity that makes them actionable and useful.

Some of his tips include:

• When establishing your brand idea in step one, keep it simple!  Get out of your office, talk to your customers, and don’t get bogged down in research (use it, but be cautious of drowning in it).

• It is important that the essence of your brand idea be clear. By identifying your brand driver, you’ll have the structure in place to then choose your name, symbols, and tagline.

• Adamson stresses the importance of dissecting the customer’s brand journey, and then working with your employees to ensure that the brand is carried consistently through each step of that journey.  This method is not only a prudent way to think about the customer experience, but also to help ensure employee engagement.

• When creating the brand signals, it is important to go back to the basics and ensure that all four “P’s” of marketing are included: price, promotion, place, product.  Seems obvious, but again, we need the reminder – it is all too easy to get caught up in new flashy logos and website designs.

Following Adamson’s methodical steps will help to ensure that your brand is comprehensively pulled through your entire marketing mix.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of my Brand Simple review, Adamson’s explanation of the Brand Asset Valuator!

Rachel Colello
Zer0 to 5ive Senior Strategist
Twitter: @Rachel990306