Does Your Company Have a Branding Mindset? - By Lance Winslow

[Lance Winslow]

By Lance Winslow


There are a good many business books on branding, and those in the high stakes marketing industry have dozens on their shelves. Some are excellent, some are okay, and some are merely the author's way of thanking his or her branding clientele, by mentioning them in their books. Over the years I've read at least 2 dozen books that peak into the world of corporate brands. One very decent branding book that I'd like to recommend to you is;

"The Brand Mindset – How Companies Like Starbucks, Whirlpool, and Hallmark Became Genuine Brands and Other Secrets of Branding Success" by Duane E. Knapp; McGraw Hill Publishers, New York, NY; 2000.

The author comes from experience and has a good bit of background in the brand marketing sector. He's worked in the hospitality, hotel and casino industry amongst others, and has come up with a way to rate brands on their strengths. He shows the reader how to analyze a brand from 5-key perspectives; Brand Assessment, Promise, Blue Print, Culturalization, and Brand Advantage.

He gives great examples throughout the book looking at brands like Hampton Inns, Lexus, CitiGroup, Whirlpool, Starbucks, Hallmark and a host of others such as FEDEX, Disney, BMW, Rolex, Charter Club, and Jeep. If you plan on working in the branding industry, then you are going to appreciate and need to read what Duane Knapp has to say. This book can be read straight through without much difficulty in a day or two.

But you should also keep it for a reference in all your future branding endeavors. I'd recommend this book to marketing students, CEOs, leaders, or marketing and advertising executives. So, go pick up your copy or buy one online.


By Lance Winslow