There’s a reason the best branding books are so popular in creative circles. Providing unparalleled insight into the world of design and the ways branding can impact the way we think, it can sometimes feel like a good brand book is unlocking a whole hidden world of design and psychology.
Also, great branding books tend to be beautifully designed. you’d be disappointed if it wasn’t! As such, these and the best graphic design books are ideal for any creative’s coffee table, and a joy to read and flip through again and again. We’ve curated a selection of our favorites here, from new releases to older classics, and if you’re looking to inspire some brand creativity, these books will be the perfect choice.
You are reading: Best books on branding
It seems that people are more brand conscious today than ever. We’ve all seen how a band’s rebranding can generate a huge reaction. Even if you’re not directly involved in creating your own brand, it can be useful and interesting to know a little about it, and that’s where these eight books come in.
For more inspiration, check out our article on the outstanding uses of color in branding, and read on for our guide to seven of the best branding books available.
the 8 best branding books
This gigantic book by modern design legend Michael Johnson is an absolute classic on the science of branding. is packed with insightful reviews of some of the best brands from around the world. In Branding: In five and a half steps, Johnson gets to the heart of iconic logos, ads, campaigns, and rebrands to explain their concept, execution, and impact with clinical precision. Includes invaluable anecdotes from his own seminal campaigns, such as Shelter UK and Science Museum, revealing the theory and alchemical art of creative thinking behind them.
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johnson is an exceptional writer. his passion is contagious, and the book has a compelling narrative. Each page is generously peppered with carefully chosen examples, and in a niche genre that is prone to pseudoscience and hyperbole, Johnson reassuringly emphasizes the art of storytelling and the empathy that underpins great brand building. His direct, jargon-busting approach and expert insights make this one of the best branding books and a must-buy for newcomers and professionals alike.
despite being an accomplished brand designer himself, david airey steps back to let other creatives talk about their own projects in this book, designed identity: the definitive guide to visual branding. Brand books live or die on the quality of the projects submitted and the candor of the talent involved, but with years of industry experience behind him, airey proves to be an excellent judge of impactful campaigns and stellar talent. He presents sixteen inspiring projects from famous world-class agencies like Freytag Anderson and Together Design to reveal a wide range of creative problem solving. elegantly presented as a coffee table tome of branded porn, but this doesn’t skimp on meaty content as every step of the designer/client process is explored, making it an essential addition to the serious brand designer’s library. /p>
author radim malinic has forged a successful second career as a writer while running small london agency brand nu. Book of Branding is a detailed guide to everything you need to know to run a branding studio, from copyright law and client pitch strategies to refining contracts and dealing with disappointments. It’s essential reading for anyone looking to follow in Malinic’s footsteps and launch her own agency.
Malinic’s candid and informal writing style is easy to digest, and though she only features her own work in the case studies, her enthusiasm and passion make this a thorough yet accessible read. The dynamic entrepreneurial spirit that allowed her to carve out a unique niche in the industry makes Malinic a perfect guide to brand design, excelling at conveying the essential details and hard work behind a boutique studio brand. malinic’s book of ideas volume 2 (and similarly volume 1 before it) is also a beautiful branding book, seamlessly blending her distinctive graphic style with creative industry insights.
Often when we think of branding books we think of how-to guides, full of tips and tricks for creating eye-catching logos, so it’s interesting to see something like that somewhere. this book steps away, taking a more holistic approach and looking at how brands affect, shape and reflect our society as a whole. The author, Beat Kaspar Baudenbacher, is fascinated by the ways brand can be used to tell stories, and somewhere, yes, there is an attempt to demystify this process.
While this book is just hitting the shelves, we’ve already spent some time with an early copy and have found it to be an engaging and ambitious book with many memorable lines. It’s a little light on the details at times, you find yourself wanting to dig into the topics a bit more, but it’s a commendable effort nonetheless, and its jargon-free approach makes it accessible to just about anyone.
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Creating a Brand Identity: A Guide for Designers is a rich and informative introduction to everything a new design student needs to know about creating a brand identity, from consumer psychology to execution and delivery of completed campaigns. The book’s author, Slade-Brooking, is a Senior Lecturer in Graphic Communications at the College of Creative Arts, so the attention to detail here is outstanding. The book is organized in an entertaining and didactic way, with exercises and advice boxes scattered throughout its pages. It ranges from the most basic beginnings (“why do we dial?”) to sophisticated advice on analyzing competitive markets. As befits a book on design, the brand identity benefits from sophisticated and clever art direction, with plenty of visual references and spot examples.
Endorsed by none other than the great Paula Scher, Brand Identity Design: An Essential Guide for the Entire Branding Team is probably the most comprehensive branding book available. Now in its fifth edition, this massive book offers an astonishingly in-depth explanation of branding principles, theories, and practicalities, from brand architecture to asset management. concepts and explanations are illustrated in exhaustive step-by-step detail. More than 40 case studies, from Coca-Cola to Mozilla, provide irrefutable evidence of the power of intelligent brand design as a marketing tool. each page of the book contains a fascinating insight or thought-provoking quote, clearly revealing the brand’s art and craft as a perfect blend of science and creativity.
The latest book from industry legend Wally Olins, Brand New: The Shape of Brands to Come, is a fascinating look at how brands and globalization have shaped each other, and how the rapid evolution of technology (and consumers) has made sales and branding increasingly complex. Lins draws on the wisdom he has garnered from dealing with some of the world’s largest companies and brands to uphold high moral standards and ethical solutions. the opening chapter is an unflinching critique of the “new authenticity” that has dominated marketing for the past decade. from there, olins seeks to understand the spirit of the times and question the responsibilities of the “big brands”. he is an exceptional and unwavering guide, who does not refrain from shaming those who do not live up to his high ideals. Beneath the harsh call to arms for a more compassionate industry lies the enthusiastic idealism of an advertiser who is enamored with the beauty of meaningful design. this is essential reading for those seeking to understand the deeper currents of brand strategy.
the author daniel miller has a great deal of experience on the subject of brand success through narrative or storytelling. As CEO of StoryBrand and the man behind the podcast and online conferences of the same name, Miller believes that brands should be understood through the prism of history. this bestselling book certainly supports his approach, focusing on the importance of speaking clearly and effectively about a brand.
The aim of the book is to help you change the way you talk about your brand and to think more accurately about what your brand does and why, focusing on what makes it unique. Miller offers a seven-point approach, covering the main “story points” that people respond to most and delves into the psychology of why people buy things. There are plenty of interesting ideas, and while Miller treats the book as a springboard for his online courses, there’s a lot to learn here about how to get the band’s messages across effectively, even if you don’t go that route.
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