Customer Reviews
How to "zag" when everyone else "zigs" - By: Robert Morris, 28 Jun 2007 
In a previous book, The Brand Gap, Marty Neumeier explains how companies can bridge the gap between business strategy & customer experience, noting that brand-building isn't a series of isolated activities; rather, it is a complete systemin which five disciplines - differentiation, collaboration, innovation, validation, & cultivation - "combine to produce a sustainable competitive advantage. " His intentin Zag "is to zoomin on differentiation to reveal the system within the system."
Initially, he observes that the human mind deals with clutter the best way it can: by blocking it out. As a result, "the newest barriers to competition are the mental walls that customers erect to keep out clutter. For the first timein history, the most powerful barriers to competition are not controlled by companies, but by customers. Those little boxes they buildin their minds determine the boundaries of brands." (Thomas H. Davenport & John C. Beck also have much of value to say about these boundaries & barriersin The Attention Economy: Understanding the New Currency of Business.) In his latest book, Neumeier explains how to overcome these barriers with radical innovation - "the engine for a high performance brand" - that requires mastery of four disciplines:
1. Finding your zag
2. Designing your zag
3. Building your zag
4. Renewing your zag
Everything begins with identifying the zag. That is, offering something that combines the qualities of both good & different. "When focus is paired with differentiation, supported by a trend, & surrounded by compelling communications, you have the basic ingredients of a zag."
OK, but how to do that? Neumeier provides a design process that consists of 17 checkpoints, each formulated as a question. He explains how to answer each of them correctly (i.e. an answer most appropriate to the given organization) by proceeding through a sequence of 17 checkpoints, each of which evokes a question to be answered correctly (i.e. appropriate to the given organization), with the first two previously posed as a trilogyin The Brand Gap: "Who are you?" & "What do you do?" Responding to them may prove far more difficult than it may first seem & a correct (i.e. appropriate) answer to each is essential to achieving radical innovation. The third question posed previously, "Why should I care?" creates an even greater challenge. Fortunately, a correct (i.e. appropriate) answer to that question will be revealed by carefully proceeding through the remaining 15 checkpoints.
It is truly remarkable how much substance & how many thought-provoking questions Neumeier provides within a narrative of less than 200 pages. With both rigor & eloquence, he explains how radical innovation can break through ever-increasing clutterin a competitive marketplace, whatever & wherever it may be. Special note should also be made of the book's production values. All of his core concepts, checklists, key points, observations, & recommendations are presented within a visually appealing context. The last time I checked, there are about 34,000 business books on the general subject of brands. Neumeier has written two of the most valuable among them. Bravo!
Stating the obvious at great length - By: Pete, 17 Jun 2007 
At first glance this book looks impressive, but you soon realise that the advice it gives is all obvious. Of course we all want products that are different to the competition, but the hard bit is doing it successfullyin our particular markets. This book talksin such generalities that it doesn't help.
Having the courage to be different - By: A reader, 09 Nov 2006 If you type Branding into Google, you will find 1,330,000 references. Everyone knows about it, talks about it, but few have created a successful brand & can explain to others how they did it. Marty Neumeier has & can. He explains how to do itin simple stages avoiding jargon & confusion. This is not a 'padded' book, I read itin two sittings.
He writes beautifully with a full knowledge & appreciation of the next question on the reader's lips.
I particularly liked how he used the running example of a fledgling company throughout the book, bringing to life its stage by stage growth & illustrating how ground-breaking differentiation was achieved.
This is an essential book for designers & clients who need to demystify the branding process, & it will help them generate the vision & courage needed to create a unique brand.
