The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing: Violate Them at Your Own Risk!

Authors: Al Ries, Jack Trout

Al Ries and Jack Trout bring us a classic turned phenomenon that is a must-have in your collection. This is undoubtedly the “bible” of Marketing. The focus of this book lies within the premise that in order for your strategies to work and your brand to be remembered, you must bear in mind 22 “immutable” laws… This book will change how you view the marketplace.

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The Philosophy of Branding: Great Philosophers think Brands

Author: Thom Braun

What do brands have in common with philosophy? This sensational book by Thom Braun dives into the fundamentals of branding and their relation to philosophical concepts created by the most advanced western thinkers – Aristotle, Hume, Descartes, Socrates, etc. – just to name a few. It stimulates the intellect whilst providing an amazing basis for any manager today.

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Designing Brand Identity: An Essential Guide for the Whole Branding Team

Author: Alina Wheeler

Alina Wheeler brings us the ultimate source to use as a reference when creating a brand. From the basic concepts, to a five phase-process, to the showcasing of the best practices, it will transform the way you work. So good, it should be textbook material in every class that aims to master the art of brand creation and implementation.

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Emotional Branding: The New Paradigm for Connecting Brands to People

Author: Marc Gobé

I had the honor of meeting Marc Gobé when I was a student at IE Business School back in the year 2005. His vision simply blew me away. He bases his work on the idea that emotions should be the grounds through which brands connect with people. A product/brand becomes essential when it inspires consumers through the senses – sounds, colors, tastes, etc. – hence creating lasting bonds. “It focuses on the most compelling aspect of the human character: the desire to transcend material satisfaction and experience emotional fullfillment.” (Gobé, Marc)

Pure poetry.

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The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use Social Media, Blogs, News Releases, Online Video, and Viral Marketing to Reach Buyers Directly

Author: David Meerman Scott

The internet has been nothing less than a revolution in every aspect of our lives.  “What all the new Web tools and techniques have in common is that together they are the best way to communicate directly with your marketplace… Marketers must shift their thinking from the short head of mainstream marketing to the masses to a strategy of targeting vast numbers of underserved audiences via the Web.”  David Meerman Scott is brilliant in recognizing the new opportinities Internet has to offer as well as the ways and methods to reach our customers directly.

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Disruption: Overturning Conventions and Shaking Up the Marketplace

Author: Jean- Marie Dru

Advertising executive Jean-Marie Dru proposes a new way of thinking. Based on years of experience, he comes up with the notion that in order to succeed  in the marketplace, in order to stand out in this brand-congested world, you must split from the traditional. “Disruption is a manner of questioning the way things are, of breaking with what has been done and seen before, of rejecting the conventional.”

Dru discusses a three-step process consisting of Convention, Disruption and Vision. He states, “Disruption enables one to envision fresh innovative strategies… It is a catalyst of the imagination… It’s an agent of change.” In this far too overcrowded marketplace, marketing, branding, and advertising executives must understand and value the concept of being different with innovative ideas that stick in the hearts and minds of customers. An amazing read.

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Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind

Authors: Al Ries, Jack Trout

This 1980′s publication is still a classic today… Why? Because it might just be one of the most influential books ever written in this field. Ries and Trout, fathers of the concept of brand positioning, changed the way we view marketing. They claim that ‘positioning’ is not what we do with a product, but what we do with the prospect’s mind. Its focus is not creating something new and different, but managing what is already in the mind, as well as working with connections through the power of association.

A masterpiece.

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The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding

Authors: Al Ries, Laura Ries

Father and daughter come together to put forth 22 concepts, as they examine strategies from leading brands in order to define the ways your product or service can stand out in the crowded marketplace. They come up with interesting ideas that everyone should consider, for example: 

“The Law of Contraction- A brand becomes stronger when you narrow its focus…”

“The Law of the Word: A brand should strive to own a word in the mind of the customer.” 

All in all, a thought-provoking read.