ZAG: The #1 Strategy of High-Performance Brands 1st Edition, Kindle Edition

This is a great book, nonetheless, there are other factors that determine whether a brand succeeds or fails. Other books to read include "Live from Cupertino: How Apple Used Words, Music, and Performance to Build the World's Best Sales Machine", "Risk Savvy: How to Make Good Decisions", "Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction".

Nothing new here. Take one chapter (WHEN EVERYBODY ZIG - you should ZAG) from the original book (THE BRAND GAP) and explain it in more details. Still it’s a good read, some case studies are outdated, but no complaints here. If you get the point, it’s worth it. I bought a used copy on Amazon, worth every penny. Great lesson about focusing you message , so you’ll add customers and not lose them. Very helpful to learn the things you can do to survive in the ocean of competition.

Loved this book. Somehow it cut through the clutter in my mind and made the differentiation point in a way I needed to hear. I have read purple cow and other differentiation books and did not get as much out of them. I recommend for a quick read.

You have to read Zag like you read the bible- it tells a great story but you often are better served not delving too deeply into the statements made by the author to support his points (i.e. the fact that 11 million people went to Europe in 2006 versus 8 million in 1964 as evidence of a shift in American society- though as a percent of the population it is almost no change at all in Americans traveling abroad).Such is the nature of writing about a topic where 1) the author makes his money selling branding services; 2) he doesn't believe in hard numbers to prove points, harboring the predictable anti-research position that is both a great strength and weakness of this book and books like this (i.e. Blink). It also may be the most acceptable way to write a book that is not so dry and academic that nobody would want to read it.But the story being told is a great one and it is really well told. Neumeier needs to get a lot of credit for presenting ideas simply (not simplistically) which many other authors would make very complicated. The book is also just really well thought out so that it is thoroughly enjoyable to read even as you get into some pretty important topics that others might get bogged down in jargon or overly long explanations. The book also gets high markst for not only discussing what a "zag" is but also showing you how you can get there if you follow his clearly outlined process.So while the book is clearly a campaign for what he believes versus an objective look at branding, it is great read and I would recommend it for anyone working in marketing/branding that wants a refresher or reminder about what you should be thinking about in our ever-changing world.

In a previous book, The Brand Gap, Marty Neumeier explains how companies can bridge the gap between business strategy and customer experience, noting that brand-building isn't a series of isolated activities; rather, it is a complete system in which five disciplines - differentiation, collaboration, innovation, validation, and cultivation - "combine to produce a sustainable competitive advantage. " His intent in Zag "is to zoom in 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 time in history, the most powerful barriers to competition are not controlled by companies, but by customers. Those little boxes they build in their minds determine the boundaries of brands." (Thomas H. Davenport and John C. Beck also have much of value to say about these boundaries and barriers in 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 zag2. Designing your zag3. Building your zag4. Renewing your zagEverything begins with identifying the zag. That is, offering something that combines the qualities of both good and different. "When focus is paired with differentiation, supported by a trend, and 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 trilogy in The Brand Gap: "Who are you?" and "What do you do?" Responding to them may prove far more difficult than it may first seem and 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 and how many thought-provoking questions Neumeier provides within a narrative of less than 200 pages. With both rigor and eloquence, he explains how radical innovation can break through ever-increasing clutter in a competitive marketplace, whatever and 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, and 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!

ZAG while everyone else ZIGS would be the headline to this wonderful marketing strategy book. This book is every bit as concise and to the point there is to exploring business strategy on creating a brand.The author purposely made the book a short read and I appreciate it. It takes out a lot of extra useless information and retains exactly what is needed. Great examples, great references for further study and letting you, the reader know, that your business strategy needs to be sharp and focused like a sword.There are concepts in this book for all businesses from established brands looking to innovate to businesses looking to grow and for the entrepreneur.If your interested in learning more about brand identity and strategy, this is the perfect book as a starting point for all.

Usually I don't write comment, but this one is extremely disappointing. The quality of print is horrible, and the content is very basic. This book is recommended by a Typography teacher from a online course, after I recieve this book I decided to unsubscribe the online course, I can't trust someone who is so lack of taste to recommend this book

I was recommended this by a colleague who's worked in branding for a number of years. Unlink lots of other books in this space, ZAG is very real and practical. I've come away with a number of very useful "tests" which I can use to check what I'm doing and why I'm doing it. I'm going to re-buy it once I get my Kindle.

An excellent book — informed, concise and really well-written. Also small enough for a coat pocket so it's easy to carry around some daily inspiration.

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ZAG ist das richtige Buch für Designer, Marketeers und Unternehmer. Jedenfalls eines der vielen "richtigen" Bücher, keinenfalls aber das einzige, dass man zum Themenbereich Markenbildung/Branding, Positionierung und Unternehmensstrategien lesen sollte.ZAG präsentiert sich sehr aktuell und fundiert. Es liest sich schnell und einfach (vorrausgesetzt man ist einigermaßen sicher im Englischen). Und es macht Spaß, es zu lesen.Zwar hatte ich den Eindruck, dass sich der Author hier und da widerspricht, habe aber vieles aus dem Buch mitgenommen. Mein wichtigstes Takeaway ist das "Scissors, Paper, Rock"-Modell. Der Author Marty Neumeier beschreibt dabei den Wachstumszyklus sowie gleichermaßen die Wettbewerbsvor- und Nachteile von kleinen, mittleren und großen Unternehmen.1) Sissors, kleine Unternehmen, die am besten damit beraten sind, sich klar zu fokussieren. Am besten ein einziges, einzigartiges Produkt bzw. Angebot, dass sich klar und deutlich von allen anderen unterscheidet. Sissors können ein kleines Stück (Nische) des Papiers (breite Marktaufstellung großer Unternehmen) herausschneiden. Sossors sind scharf, flexibel und agieren schnell. Somit schlägt die Schere das Papier.2) Rock, mittlere Unternehmen, deren Vorteil ihr Momentum ist. Sie befinden sich in der stärksten Wachtumsphase, waren vorher Sissors, haben ihre Sissors-Konkurenten bereits hinter sich gelassen. Rocks sollten an der Erweiterung ihres Portfolios arbeiten und sich breiter am Markt positionieren, um ihr Momentum in Wachstum umzuwandeln. Allerdings treten sie durch ihre Größe ins Blickfeld der großen "Paper"-Unternehmen.3) Paper, große Unternehmen, die über eine breite Marktabdeckung verfügen, sind den Rocks überlegen Sie haben durch ihre Produktions- & Vertriebswege mehr Möglichkeiten, Produkte und Angebote der Rocks, schneller, günstiger und optimal anzubieten. Allerdings haben sie an Momentum verloren. Sie müssen aufpassen, sich nicht in ihrer Komplexität, Produktvielfalt und Unüberschaubarkeit in Verwirrung und Belanglosigkeit zu verlieren. Es gibt 2 Sorten von "Paper"-Unternehmen:A) House of Brands - Viele Marken unter einem Dach. (Beispiel: Procter & Gamble)Vorteil: Alle Marken sind von einander unabhänig. Im Fall eines Schadens bleiben alle anderen Marken davon unberührt.Nachteil: Jede Marke muss individuell aufgebaut werden.B) Branded House - Eine Dachmarke mit vielen Produkten (Beispiele: Disney, Audi...)Vorteil: Es wird nur eine Marke aufgebaut, auf die sich das Unternehmen voll konzentrieren kann.Nachteil: Gerät auch nur eines der Produkte in Veruf (Beispiel: Als der Audi 5000 in der US-Presse in Verruf geraten ist, litten darunter die Verkaufszahlen ALLER Audi-Modelle.)Desweiteren bietet das Buch gute Tools, vor allem für neue Marken, aber auch für die die sich neu erfinden wollen:1. Finding your ZAG - Wo ist mein Sweetspot von GUT & EINZIGARTIG?2. Designing your ZAG - Wie definieren ich den richtigen Markennamen und Tagline (Slogan)3. Renewing your ZAG - Loyality Programs (Bonusprogramme) VS. Layality Building (echte Kundenbindung)Ganz nett finde ich, dass der Autor ein theoretisches Beispiel ("BIBLI") durchs gesamte Buch schleift. Er entwickelt also, paralel zu allen reellen Beispielen und Theorien die er beschreibt, eine theoretische neue Marke "Life mit dem Leser".Alles in Allem empfehle ich das Buch ALLEN Designern, Marketeers und Unternehmern, vor allem denjenigen, die wirklich am Markenaufbau interessiert sind.