Zagging
I just finished reading Marty Neumeier’s Zag: The Number One Strategy of High-Performance Brands and The Brand Gap. While they are both good reads, I really found The Brand Gap to be essentially background information for Zag. Both books deal with the issue of creating you company’s brand, where brand is defined as people’s gut feeling about your company. This definition really hits home with me. I am a big fan of Apple, and I think they are a prime example of a company that knows how to create a brand. (But let’s not get started on discussions about Apple. We all know that those always end up with an endless array of idiotic rants and flames.)
One statement that really struck me in Zag was in determining who your enemy is.
Rather than trying to please everyone at the risk of pleasing no one, step right up and pick a fight.
I love this statement. I am so tired of the option paralysis caused by the dozens of uninspiring, “me too” products on the market. Give me a company that has a passion that I agree with, and I’ll give you my loyalty.
