The 15 Best Branding Books for Building a Brand
In a world of noise, the brand is the only thing that can save you.
It’s more than just a logo or a catchy slogan; it is the story we tell about ourselves, the promises we make and the feelings we create.
The problem is this: making a memorable and impactful brand is hard work. It takes time, effort and creativity.
This is where books come in. Not just any books, though – ones that get straight to the point and leave an impression.
Books that make you question what you thought you knew and change your perspective entirely. Books that challenge everything about how we believe our business should be run and who its customers are.
There are 15 game-changing branding books on our list – each capable of being your next lightbulb moment or fitting perfectly into your brand strategy puzzle.
They won’t perform miracles because those don’t exist, but when used by people ready to think, apply themselves and act, they become powerful tools.
So are you ready? Ready to find out which resources could take your company’s trajectory from zero to hero?
Let’s dive deep into these literary gems which have moulded great minds across industries, both big-name enterprises and small-fry innovators.
- Branding goes beyond visuals; it encompasses storytelling, values, and customer experience that differentiate businesses in a crowded marketplace.
- Building a brand in today's world requires authenticity, emotional connections, and trust due to increasing consumer skepticism.
- Effective branding strategies involve continuous learning and adaptation, utilising insights from respected branding literature to refine your approach.
Why Branding Matters More Than Ever
Before starting our book list, let’s discuss why branding is a big deal today. In a world where people receive thousands of messages daily, it isn’t good enough to be nice; you must stand out.
The Power of Perception
Consider this: What do you think when you hear “Apple”? Maybe sleek design or innovation? That’s branding. It’s not only about products; it’s also about emotions and associations attached to a word or symbol.
Beyond the Logo
Visuals are just one part of what makes up branding. It involves the story you tell, the values you stand for, and the kind of experience you provide. This is why someone might pick one café over another even if they serve the same coffee — because of your brand.
Building Trust in a Sceptical World
With so much fake news, trust has become more challenging than ever. However, strong brands still manage to build it up anyway; they act like promises made by businesses that must always be kept.
Now that we’ve covered some essential points about branding, let us get started on those books that will surely guide us through this confusing world full of different brands.
1. “Building a StoryBrand” by Donald Miller
Have you ever wondered why you are drawn to certain brands? Well, that is not a coincidence. In this book, Miller explores the might of storytelling in branding and how you can make your customer the protagonist of your brand’s narrative.
What is one of the most important things we learn from this book? Clarity always beats being clever. According to Miller, there is a method for ensuring your message is transparent and grabs customers’ attention, making them act on it.
This book stands out because it gives practical advice. You will leave with an easy-to-follow plan for crafting a brand story that will connect with your readership and their hearts.
Building a StoryBrand
Your customers don’t care about your backstory, your awards, or your “mission statement.” They are the heroes of their own stories, and they are seeking a guide to help them succeed. This is the fix. Building a StoryBrand 2.0 by Donald Miller offers a universal 7-part framework, commonly used by Hollywood screenwriters, to clarify your message so customers finally listen.
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Look, the real meat of it is his SB7 framework. It’s a simple, seven-step story formula that just works.
Basically, it goes like this: a Character (your customer) has a Problem. They then meet a Guide (that’s you, your brand), who gives them a Plan and a Call to Action.
This path helps them avoid Failure and ends in Success. Simple as that.
It stops you waffling on about how great your company is and forces you to talk about what the customer actually gets. Game-changer.
2. “Designing Brand Identity” by Alina Wheeler
Wheeler’s book would be considered the holy scripture of branding if it were a religion. It is inclusive, discussing research, brand strategy and identity design, among other things.
The thing is, it’s not just a pretty picture book. Wheeler gives you a proper roadmap, right?
It’s a five-phase process that actually works. You start with Research, so you’re not just guessing what your customers want.
Then you Clarify Strategy – basically, you figure out what you’re actually trying to achieve before you do anything else.
Only then do you get to the fun bit: Designing the Identity. After that, it’s all about Creating Touchpoints and the final bit everyone forgets, Managing Assets.
It’s a complete system, from start to finish. No fluff, just what works.
A feast for the eyes with more than 700 illustrations, this book is perfect for visual learners looking to see how the principles of branding work in practice.
Rather than just telling you about them, Wheeler illustrates her points using case studies from globally recognised brands; you can then use these insights when working on your brand.
3. “Brand Thinking and Other Noble Pursuits” by Debbie Millman
Have you ever wished for the opportunity to speak with branding icons? This is it! Millman’s book contains interviews with industry giants.
The author included anthropologists, CEOs, and other professionals. Therefore, this literature offers a comprehensive perspective on branding from various angles. It’s basically like sitting on your sofa while attending a branding conference!
Designing Brand Identity
You’re trying to build a brand in a world of relentless noise, digital chaos, and shrinking barriers to entry. This is the fix. Designing Brand Identity (6th Edition) is the industry “bible”—the quintessential roadmap that takes you from raw research to global governance. Alina Wheeler’s masterpiece has been fully updated to tackle the modern complexities of Artificial Intelligence, Social Justice, and the post-pandemic market. If you want to move from “having a logo” to “owning a brand,” this is your tactical manual.
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It is not just another book telling us how things are done; no, this publication will prompt us to think deeply about what brands mean in our society and why they matter.
4. “Zag: The Number One Strategy of High-Performance Brands” by Marty Neumeier
When All Others Zig, You Must Zag
Differentiation is the topic of Neumeier’s book. In a crowded marketplace, it’s not enough to choose — you must make yourself chosen.
Zag: The Number One Strategy
In an over-cluttered marketplace, “better” is no longer enough. To survive, you must be radically different. Marty Neumeier’s ZAG is the strategic sequel to The Brand Gap, providing a “whiteboard-style” surgical strike on how to find your brand’s unique space and own it.
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Discover why “better” doesn’t cut it anymore. According to Neumeier, genuine success implies being distinctive and relevant to your target audience.
In terms of length, this book is approximately 200 pages; however, it is packed with helpful advice. It’s suitable for time-poor business owners seeking to quickly and easily acquire branding knowledge.
5. “Brand Gap” by Marty Neumeier
Neumeier’s latest work, this book, explores the intersection of brand strategy and design. It simply means matching your appearance to your words.
The Brand Gap
In most companies, a massive canyon exists between the Strategic (the spreadsheet thinkers) and the Creative (the designers). This is the fix. The Brand Gap by Marty Neumeier provides a unified theory to bridge that distance and create a “charismatic brand”—one that customers believe is irreplaceable.
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Five Principles of Establishing a Brand
According to Neumeier, five disciplines should be addressed: differentiation, collaboration, innovation, validation and cultivation. Become proficient in them, and your brand will succeed.
This book also exploits pictures for emphasis, as do many other books by its author. He teaches one how to convey complicated ideas in an easy-to-understand manner, a must-have skill for any visual designer.
6. “Emotional Branding” by Marc Gobé
According to Gobé, brands must make emotional connections for their marketing to succeed in the future. It is not enough to meet needs; wants must also be met.
Emotional Branding
The traditional marketing model, built on statistics, data, and logic, is dead. This is the fix. Emotional Branding by Marc Gobé is the definitive guide to the “Consumer Democracy,” where people, not products, hold the power. Gobé argues that the future of commerce belongs to brands that humanise their process and connect with the soul, not just the wallet.
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Discover how to get all five senses involved with branding. Sight, sound, touch, taste and smell are all discussed as they relate to how people perceive brands.
This book explores how companies can adapt to a rapidly changing cultural landscape. If you want your brand to last long, it’s a necessary read.
7. “Start With Why” by Simon Sinek
Sinek wrote that this work is necessary to establish a valuable brand. It explains that you must begin with your “why,” which is your purpose or belief.
The Golden Circle
Great leaders and organisations inspire action by communicating from the inside out. In his book, Sinek introduces the idea of the Golden Circle.
Right, so the thing is, most businesses get it backwards. They start by telling you WHAT they do. “We sell computers.” Yawn.
Some then explain HOW they do it. “Our computers have a user-friendly design.”
Getting warmer, but not quite there.
Start With Why
Most companies can tell you what they do. Some can tell you how they do it. But very few can clearly articulate why they exist. This is the fix. Start With Why by Simon Sinek is the 15th-anniversary edition of the book that fundamentally changed how the world’s most influential leaders—from Steve Jobs to Martin Luther King Jr.—communicate and inspire.
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Sinek says the great ones start with WHY. Why do you exist beyond making money?
Take Apple, for example. Their ‘Why’ is to challenge the status quo, to think differently.
Because they believe that, they make beautifully designed, simple products (the ‘How’). And it just so happens they make computers and phones (the ‘What’).
See the difference? People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.
This book offers guidelines on how to create brand stories which are inspiring and resonate deeply with your audience at an emotional level
8. “Brand Sense” by Martin Lindstrom
According to Lindstrom, successful brands engage all five senses. This can mean more than just creating an image in someone’s mind; it could also involve touch, taste, smell and sound.
Brands are not just about their appearance, but what people think of them. The book examines science, which studies how our brain perceives different brands or products.
Brand Sense
You think you’re making rational choices, but you’re actually being “hacked” by the world’s most successful brands. This is the fix. Brand Sense by Martin Lindstrom—backed by a massive global study with Millward Brown—proves that 83% of all advertising targets only our eyes, yet our emotions are most deeply stirred by smell and sound.
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If you want your brand to last forever, this is the chapter for you! Discover how to appeal to timeless human senses and emotions, making a business or product more well-known.
9. “Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind” by Al Ries and Jack Trout
This book was first published in 2001 and remains relevant today, introducing the concept of “positioning” to marketing.
Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind
In an overcommunicated society, the mind acts as a filter, rejecting most information. This is the fix. Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind by Al Ries and Jack Trout is the book that defined modern marketing. It argues that “Positioning” isn’t what you do to a product; it’s what you do to the mind of the prospect.
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In a world where people are bombarded with information, Ries and Trout explain how to place your brand in your potential customer’s mind. This means taking up a position in their minds.
The book also provides practical suggestions for establishing your brand’s position – whether you’re already a leader or just starting in the market.
10. “Brand New: The Shape of Brands to Come” by Wally Olins
Olins, a pioneer in brand strategy, shares his thoughts on branding in the digital era. This book aims to help you be ready for tomorrow.
This book uses cases from around the world to provide an international perspective on branding and how companies approach it.
Brand New: The Shape of Brands to Come
The old rules of Western brand dominance are crumbling. This is the fix. In Brand New: The Shape of Brands to Come, the legendary Wally Olins—co-founder of Wolff Olins—delivers a visionary autopsy of the global marketplace. He tackles the ultimate tension: will globalisation create a “monoculture” of bland multinationals, or will it spark a new era of radical individuality?
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Branding with a Human Touch
Olins wants us to remember that humans should always lie at the heart of any good brand. He does this when almost everything else has become technology-based, which is quite interesting.
11. “Obsessed: Building a Brand People Love from Day One” by Emily Heyward
Heyward’s book is a godsend for start-ups and small businesses. It shows how to build a compelling brand from scratch.
This book contains numerous examples from successful start-ups, providing you with specific recommendations that you can act on now.
Obsessed: Building a Brand People Love from Day One
You think you need a massive ad budget to launch a brand, but the most successful startups of the last decade—Casper, Allbirds, Sweetgreen, and Everlane—did it by building a cult-like following before their first sale. This is the fix. Obsessed by Emily Heyward, co-founder of the legendary branding agency Red Antler, reveals the tactical blueprint for winning over a new generation of customers who value “why” and “how” over “what.”
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The Most Important Thing: Be Authentic
Find out why authenticity matters in today’s market — and how to ensure your brand reflects it in everything you do.
12. “Brand Leadership: Building Assets in an Information Economy” by David A. Aaker and Erich Joachimsthaler
It is more than just a marketing tool, according to Aaker and Joachimsthaler. It is an asset that can drive business success.
Brand Leadership
In the classic P&G model, brand management was tactical—a middle manager reacting to short-term sales data with ad campaigns. This is the fix. In Brand Leadership, David Aaker and Erich Joachimsthaler argue that in a complex, global, and digital world, branding must be a strategic imperative led by the CEO and top-level executives.
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You need to know how to build and manage brands globally. This is a crucial skill in our interconnected society.
By providing a framework for creating and managing brand identity, the book offers guidance to those who lead brands.
13. “This Is Marketing” by Seth Godin
Although his book is not solely about branding, it provides valuable insights into how brands can more effectively engage with people.
Here, you will discover how to create brands people would be eager to interact with, not those that irritate or disturb them.
This Is Marketing
You’ve been taught that marketing is about annoying people until they cave. This is the fix. In This Is Marketing, Seth Godin—the “godfather of modern marketing”—redefines the craft. Marketing isn’t a battle for attention; it’s the generous act of helping someone solve a problem. It’s about finding a “smallest viable market” and doing work that matters for people who care.
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This is where Godin discusses creating a tribe around your brand – a community of people who support your values and share your vision.
14. “Brand Atlas: Branding Intelligence Made Visible” by Alina Wheeler and Joel Katz
This unique book utilises pictures and diagrams to explain complex branding concepts. This is ideal for people who think visually.
This book takes the reader through everything they need to know about brands, from their structure to how customers experience them – all presented in a visually exciting format.
Brand Atlas
If Designing Brand Identity is the textbook, Brand Atlas is the field guide. In this collaborative masterpiece, branding consultant Alina Wheeler teams up with information design legend Joel Katz to strip away the jargon and replace it with “Branding Intelligence.” This is the ultimate tool for the time-crunched professional who needs to understand the big picture of brand strategy at a glance.
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Think of this as your brand bible. As you work on building or modifying your brand, you will likely have many occasions when you need to refer back to it multiple times.
15. “Sticky Branding: 12.5 Principles to Stand Out, Attract Customers, and Grow an Incredible Brand” by Jeremy Miller
Miller presents actionable advice on how you can make your brand stick in the minds of consumers.
Although it is applicable across the board, this book is most helpful for small businesses aiming to compete with larger ones.
Sticky Branding
In almost every industry, there is one brand that everyone knows, trusts, and chooses—even if they charge more. This is the fix. Sticky Branding by Jeremy Miller is the culmination of a decade of research into why some companies become household names, while others fade into obscurity. It isn’t just for the Nikes and Apples of the world; it’s a tactical playbook for any business that wants to “stick” in the minds of its customers.
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Every principle has steps that can be taken to ensure its implementation in your company – this is about putting ideas into action.
16. “Contagious: How to Build Word of Mouth in This Online World” by Jonah Berger
Ever see something online and just think, “Why is that the thing everyone’s talking about?”
Well, Berger’s book is the answer. It’s not luck, mate. There’s a science to it.
He gives you a six-point checklist called STEPPS. It’s a proper toolkit for making your brand more infectious.
Contagious: How to Build Word of Mouth
Paid advertising is dying. It is expensive, easily ignored, and increasingly distrusted. This is the fix. In Contagious: Why Things Catch On, Wharton professor Jonah Berger reveals the secret science behind word-of-mouth. He proves that virality isn’t luck or magic—it’s a predictable result of human psychology.
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The STEPPS Framework
It stands for Social Currency (people share things that make them look good), Triggers (everyday things that remind people of you), Emotion (when we care, we share), Public (making your brand visible), Practical Value (genuinely useful stuff gets passed on), and Stories (wrapping your brand in a narrative people want to tell).
This isn’t about having a massive budget. It’s about being clever and building shareable ideas right into your brand from the start.
17. “Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable” by Seth Godin
Let’s be real, most marketing is just noise. Godin gets this.
His whole point in “Purple Cow” is that the old ways are dead. Being safe is the new risky.
The idea is dead simple. If you’re driving down a country road, you’ll see hundreds of cows.
After a while, they’re all just… cows. Boring.
But if you suddenly saw a purple cow? You’d stop the car. You’d take a picture. You’d tell everyone you know.
Be the Purple Cow
Purple Cow
You’re driving through the countryside, and you see a field of brown cows. For the first twenty minutes, it’s picturesque. By the fortieth minute, you’re bored. But if you saw a Purple Cow, you’d stop the car. You’d take a photo. You’d tell everyone you know. This is the fix. In Purple Cow, Seth Godin argues that in a world of infinite choices and zero time, the only way to survive is to be “remarkable.”
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Your brand needs to be that purple cow. It has to be remarkable.
Not just a little better, but genuinely different and worth discussing.
This book forces you to stop thinking about marketing as a department you give money to.
Instead, you have to build remarkability into the very core of your product or service. If it’s not worth discussing, it won’t spread.
Bringing It All Together: Your Branding Masterplan
Wow! We went far, didn’t we? These books cover everything from storytelling to sensory branding, from positioning to purpose—a full education on building and maintaining a solid brand.
But let me tell you: reading is just the beginning. The real fun starts when you take these ideas and apply them to your brand. It’s about finding those bits of advice that speak directly to your unique situation and running with them.
Just remember, brands are never one-and-done. They’re constantly growing, changing, and improving or deteriorating. The ones that last are true to themselves while still being able to adapt over time.
So what comes after this? Maybe you use Miller’s StoryBrand framework to clarify your brand story. Perhaps you will rethink everything after learning about Lindstrom’s ideas on sensory branding. Whatever it is, do something with it. Your business will thank you!
Also, don’t feel like you have to stick within each book’s borders either; some of the best strategies come from mixing insights nobody ever thought belonged together.
Now go out there and be a brilliant brander!
FAQs on Branding Books
Do all these books need to be read to create a great brand?
No. You can start with those closely related to your current branding challenges. Even one or two books can make a big difference when implementing their ideas.
I am a small business owner. Do these books apply to me?
Definitely! Some books may be centred around more prominent brands, but the concepts are applicable at any scale—especially books like “Obsessed” and “Sticky Branding” for small businesses.
How often should I revisit my brand strategy?
Reviewing your brand strategy annually is good, but be prepared for more frequent adjustments if market conditions change or new opportunities arise.
Can branding affect my bottom line?
Yes! A strong brand can command premium prices, drive customer loyalty, and provide a competitive advantage. It is an investment that pays off over time.
I’m in a “boring” industry. Can these branding principles still work for me?
Absolutely! Branding can significantly impact traditionally viewed as unexciting industries, where you have more chances to stand out.
How do I know if my branding efforts were successful?
Key metrics include brand awareness, customer loyalty, market share and brand equity. Many of these books also touch upon measuring brand performance.
Is it ever too late to rebrand?
Never! Many companies succeed through rebranding – the crucial thing is doing it thoughtfully with a clear strategy in mind.
How can I remain true to my brand while allowing it to evolve over time?
This can be challenging, but it is essential to identify core values and attributes that remain constant, while being flexible in expressing them differently depending on the situation and changes around you.
Can I create a strong brand on a small budget?
Absolutely! Although having a vast amount of money can be beneficial, the most significant elements related to branding, such as message clarity and consistency, do not require substantial funding.
Where does digital/social media fit into my branding strategy?
Digital and social media are essential for expressing brand engagement. Some books (especially recent ones) discuss integrating digital strategies into a general approach towards your brand.
Is personal branding different from business branding?
While there are similarities between these two types, personal branding often requires a more intimate and authentic perspective. Nevertheless, many principles from business branding can also be applied in individual contexts.
How long will it take to see results from my efforts in building a brand?
This depends on factors such as industry, market, and tactics implemented. Thus, it may take some time before specific changes show their outcomes, so one should be patient while keeping regularity throughout this process.
