Obsessed

April 13, 2020
Entrepreneurs who consider “develop a brand” an easily accomplished checklist item should think again, advises branding consultant Heyward in her zesty debut. Heyward started in traditional advertising in the early 2000s, but found it too slow and stolid for her tastes; she jumped at the chance, mid-decade, to join the emerging field of “brand thinking,” before cofounding her own company, Red Antler. Based on her experience, she believes that branding isn’t reducible to graphic design or catchy sloganeering, but rather it encompasses how a product or service makes people feel. She uses successful campaigns for clients as case studies, including one for Allbirds that emphasized “sustainability, minimalist design, and comfort,” and another for Casper intended to show that the “power of sleep is what it brings to people’s waking lives.” Heyward covers speaking to a customer’s sense of self, creating a connection between product and customers, building customer loyalty, and taking a personal approach. Most importantly, she warns, branding isn’t a one-time task; one can’t rest on one’s laurels once the logo is designed or slogan chosen, but must continually work to maintain the brand. This breezy, insightful guide to understanding what customers actually want, and building a brand to meet that need, is an encouraging thumbs-up to start-up hopefuls.

June 1, 2020

Heyward (cofounder, branding firm Red Antler) has written a thought-provoking book on the concept of brand. She argues that a brand should indicate the mission of the company, which is always, at its core, a solution to a problem people are facing. The brand should explore this deeply because companies that do so are better able to provide compelling reasons for customers to form honest, emotional connections with the brand. The author draws on many examples from her clients and those she has observed as an outsider. For example, she shows that Airbnb is not simply about providing affordable rooms for tourists but aims at tourism authenticity in which travelers get to experience a place more intimately. The mattress company Casper touts its products on the idea that good sleep makes for a more interesting waking life. VERDICT At once imaginative and pragmatic, this will appeal to those who regard branding as a sometimes daunting task of creating and fostering emotional connections with customers.--Shmuel Ben-Gad, Gelman Lib., George Washington Univ., Washington, DC

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