World Famous: How to Give Your Business a Kick‐Ass Brand Identity

Citation

Green, R.D. (2010), "World Famous: How to Give Your Business a Kick‐Ass Brand Identity", Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol. 19 No. 5, pp. 381-381. https://doi.org/10.1108/10610421011068621

Innovation, creativity, and uniqueness are essential to success in today's marketplace. David Tyreman knows to be “world famous” requires “to stand out as the obvious choice, the only choice in the hearts and minds of your market” (p. 2). The strategy is not to be the market leader among competitors but to create a “kick‐ass brand identity” focused on consumers' desires and expectations – to stand alone in the marketplace. Tyreman states:

The very concept of “being number one” is flawed because it suggests that there are other choices, that you are part of a group. … Buying into the belief that there can be only one winner in your war of brands takes your focus away from the unique identity of your business. … The great risk of trying to be “the best” is that you start looking closely at what your competitors are doing instead of looking at what your marketplace might want, instead of innovating. … They want you to make them feel special. They want you to speak to them, to make them to feel important and unique when they choose to do business with you. In essence, they want your brand to be about them, not about the competition. (p. 2)

In World Famous: How to Give Your Business a Kick‐Ass Brand Identity, David Tyreman, an Englishman, takes the reader through steps to develop a unique brand identity based on his own experience and his observations of other brands. His original business concept was to sell antiques and vintage items based on the Tupperware business model. Unable to gain acceptance in England, Tyreman and his business partner moved to the USA to start up their business. In two months, they were without cash and seeking their right market. The partners changed strategy from the in‐home (Tupperware) model and being an antique dealer (consumer market) to in‐store displays (visual merchandising) for leading retailers (business market), such as Macy's and Polo Ralph Lauren. Through evolving services to the retailers, the firm expanded internationally and to being “visual branding specialists” for their clients.

The book is organized around five steps to create brand identity, with each step having an introduction and ending with a summary of the chapters in that step. Step 1 (Chapters 1‐3) – Dare! – is a series of challenges, such as dare to speak out; stand out; shake things up; be authentic, genuine and real; embrace and own that which makes you different; and discover what makes your business unique. The author points out in order to gain a clear brand identity and to stand alone in the market, businesspeople must think differently in terms of norms than what society has expected. He explains, “Through gentle reminders, punishment, or outright shunning, we quickly learn that in order to be accepted in our family, our neighborhood, our school, or our place of business, we must fit in” (p. 19). Therefore, Tyreman uses the “dares” to encourage readers to avoid fitting in and for them to think authentically (uniquely), such as dare to challenge all of your preconceived notions, be powerful (not predictable), and break free of the status quo.

Step 2 (Chapters 4‐7) – Discover the Power of the Superniche – is the use of demographics and psychographics to identify a specific, well‐defined target market. There are a series of exercises for the reader to develop a preferred consumer profile. Step 3 (Chapters 8‐17) – Define Your Difference – centers on the personality, attitude, and values of the brand identity. In this step, the excitement is incorporated to establish a brand promise and to engage the superniche market. Exercises are provided for the reader to define the difference by utilizing athree‐word persona for the brand. Tyreman uses Polo's Ralph Lauren (prestigious, refined, lifestyle) and Virgin Atlantic's Richard Branson (rebellious, champion, maverick) as examples to develop brand identity statement.

Step 4 (Chapters 18 and 19) – Add Value – is the aspect of including memorable experiences, such as that of Starbucks. Tyreman feels that problem areas and complaints provide opportunities not only to correct them but also to add value and build positive identity to the brand. Starbucks offers a highly successful alternative for those who want the experience to meet others or to just have hassle‐free time to enjoy a coffee, and at a premium price. Exercises are provided to identify problems and to take advantage of such situations to add value to the brand experience. Step 5 (Chapters 20‐25) – Ready, Set, Engage! – includes developing a brand profile and the implementation of the brand offering to the superniche market. Throughout the book, the author makes interesting use of analogies. In this step, he utilizes a fried egg with the yolk being the business and the offering, and the egg white being the market opportunity to create a “kick‐ass” brand identity. The author places great emphasis on each consumer touch‐point, e.g. mail, voicemail messages, waiting rooms, and business ergonomics (systems being seamless, engaging, and consistent) to successfully connect the brand identity to the market. Again, Tyreman has a series of exercises to assist the reader to engage the consumer with the brand. This step and the book conclude with five rules of engagement.

World Famous: How to Give Your Business a Kick‐Ass Brand Identity is an easy, “engaging” read – a fun read. This “how to” book is for anyone wanting to build brand identity. It is well organized to conceptualize, develop, and implement a clear, highly focused strategy. It could be considered also by instructors for in‐depth product (brand) value understanding and/or for a course project to create a new or reposition an existing brand. Steps 2‐5 have exercises and support material on a web site (www.WorldFamousCompany.com) that is helpful to the businessperson and student. While there is little new in the book, it nevertheless centers on a critical aspect of branding – brand identity. Points are clearly made and supported in short chapters (about 6 pages including exercises). However, the book lacks the methods (steps) to monitor, evaluate, and control (post‐implementation) the brand identity program. Nevertheless, this provides Tyreman a “market opportunity” (the complaint and the egg white) to lead us through the long‐term effort to retain or increase successful brand identity. For the readers of this book would want (and need) to read that one too.