Brandin-G Bibles

For sure there are many great books about brands, branding and marketing focused on brand strategy. But since my intention here is not covering all the knowledge, but remark remarkable spots, I set out to present two books which deserve to be read by anyone interested in Branding.
“What is Branding?” by Matthew Healey, and “Wally Olins. On B®and” by, of course, Wally Olins. They are both quite different but truly interesting and educational.

Written as a story rather than a manual, Wally Olins. On Brand (of which I have the Spanish edition “B®and. Las marcas según Wally Olins”) has a critical and accurate perspective of the changing world of branding. It analyzes several parts of branding trying to give a historical vision from its origins to its possible future. Olins always keeps the personal point of view (including a touch of self-selling) that is conspicuous for not being afraid of change or nostalgic of yesteryear's branding that he helped to create.

From Wally Olins. On Brand (Olins, W. Oxfordshire, 2003): "For each company developing a global and unique corporate brand, there's another doing exactly the opposite".


On my other hand, in English this one, there is What is Branding? . It is sharply organized by topics, and completely filled of beautiful pictures and interesting evidences of all the arguments that Healy puts forward.
The book deals with the challenges when “practicing” branding, all the details to take into account when creating a brand, and a handful of examples of what to do and what not to do.

From What is Branding? (Healey, M. New York, 2008): “Great brands never change, and change constantly”.


The main point that both books share is that, for any communication (not just from business -also from nonprofit societies-, not just from organizations -also from countries-, not even just from groups -also from individuals-) brands and, therefore, branding are key elements.

Congratulations to both authors, their work may appear again in BRANDIN-G

Branding VIRAL

Las marcas y sus estrategias evolucionan a la par que evoluciona el mercado y los Públicos Objetivos a los que las marcas pretenden dirigirse. Un ejemplo es la marca Orange que, viendo el ambiente de cambio y revolución que se respira entre el público al que se dirigen, hace unos meses empezó a enfocar su comunicación de marca a ese concepto, el cambio. Ésta fué su campaña en TV, en la que la estrategia para lograr recuerdo -la repetición a todas horas- no cambió:

Bueno, pues aquí teneis una foto del graffiti que "algún gamberro" ha hecho en los paneles publicitarios de Orange que tapan una obra a pie de calle en la Puerta del Sol.

Y mi mente perversa enfocada al Branding me hace sospechar. ¿Alguno de los muchos indignados que han pasado por ahí ha tenido la ingeniosa idea de aprovechar la marca para proclamar el cambio global? ¿O algún ingenioso creativo ha tenido una genial idea para viralizar la marca en el lugar que en España simboliza el cambio político deseado por el público joven al que se dirige la marca Orange?

El hecho de que esas líneas que forman la frase "Change Global" no tachan el logo, sino que dibujan una cabeza con el logo dentro me haría decantarme, pero puede que sólo sea una simple y publicitaria coincidencia. Aún así, enhorabuena por la ingeniosa idea sin importar de quién haya sido.