Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

From an interactive website to a business card, a brand must be recognizable, differentiated and help build customer loyalty. This indispensable resource presents brand identity fundamentals and a comprehensive dynamic process that help brands succeed. From researching the competition to translating the vision of the CEO to designing and implementing an integrated brand identity program, the meticulous development process is presented through a highly visible step by step approach in five phases: research and analysis, brand and identity strategy, brand identity design, brand identity applications and managing brand assets.

From global corporate mergers through entrepreneurial ventures and nonprofit institutions, twenty-two case studies portray the brand identity process in action. They illustrate a range of challenges and methodologies and represent a select group of branding and multidisciplinary design firms.

The scope of material includes history of identity design up to the latest information about online brand identity standards, naming and trademarking, with practical project management resources about decision making, and creating brand briefs.

Alina Wheeler specializes in brand identity. She uses her strategic imagination to help build brands, create new identities, and design integrated brand identity programs for Fortune 100 companies, entrepreneurial ventures, cities and foundations. Wheeler works closely with founders, CEO¹s and senior management to insure that their vision and their brand identity are communicated clearly to accelerate the success of their organizations. She has been the principal of several design firms as well as a consultant to some of America¹s largest business consulting groups. She is a former national board member of AIGA and was named an AIGA Fellow in 1998.

Hallmark Features

Unlike most books that show identity programs, this book outlines a rigorous, complex and proven process from research and analysis through the design development of a new identity and online standards through launch and brand asset management. Comprehensive, easy to understand guide that is organized by spreads by subject for easy reference. An indispensable reference for anyone with responsibility for brand identity. Meaningful and actionable information that will accelerate the success of any brand identity project. A toolkit for design firms and professionals, design students and design managers. Presents the relationship between effective brand identity and creating, building and managing successful brands. Presents case studies from Cingular, Amazon, Citibank, TAZO, Zoom, Harley Davidson, FedEx and twenty others.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• 1 Perception
• Introduction (p. 1)
• What is a brand? (p. 2)
• What is brand identity? (p. 4)
• Why does it work? (p. 6)
• When it is needed? (p. 8)
• Who creates it? (p. 10)
• Why invest in brand identity? (p. 12)
• Brand Identity Ideals
• Intro (p. 14)
• Vision (p. 16)
• Meaning (p. 18)
• Authenticity (p. 20)
• Differentiation (p. 22)
• Sustainability (p. 24)
• Coherence (p. 26)
• Flexibility (p. 28)
• Commitment (p. 30)
• Value (p. 32)
• Brand Identity Fundamentals
• Brand strategy (p. 34)
• Positioning (p. 36)
• Brand architecture (p. 38)
• Names (p. 40)
• Taglines (p. 42)
• Brandmarks overview (p. 44)
• Wordmark (p. 46)
• Letterform (p. 48)
• Pictorial (p. 50)
• Abstract (p. 52)
• 2 Process
• A process for success (p. 54)
• Managing the process (p. 56)
• Managing decisions (p. 58)
• Phase 1 Research and Analysis
• Understanding the business (p. 60)
• Using market research tools (p. 62)
• Customer insight (p. 64)
• Competitive audit (p. 66)
• Internal audit (p. 68)
• Phase 2 Creating Strategy
• Clarifying brand strategy (p. 70)
• Narrowing the focus (p. 72)
• The big idea (p. 74)
• Brand identity brief (p. 76)
• Naming (p. 78)
• Phase 3 Designing Brand Identity
• Designing symbols (p. 80)
• Logotype + signature design (p. 82)
• Color (p. 84)
• More color (p. 86)
• Typography (p. 88)
• Trial applications (p. 90)
• Presentation (p. 92)
• Phase 4 Building Brand Identity
• Introduction to applications (p. 94)
• Trademark process (p. 96)
• Letterhead (p. 98)
• Business card (p. 100)
• Brochure (p. 102)
• Packaging (p. 104)
• Website (p. 106)
• Signage (p. 108)
• Interior + exterior (p. 110)
• Vehicles (p. 112)
• Uniforms (p. 114)
• Ephemera (p. 116)
• Phase 5 Managing Assets
• Intro to managing assets (p. 118)
• Changing brand identity (p. 120)
• Launching brand identity (p. 122)
• Branding tools (p. 124)
• Standards content (p. 126)
• In-house design (p. 128)
• Building brand champions (p. 130)
• Reproduction files (p. 132)
• 3 Practice
• Case Studies (p. 134)
• Evolution
• Tate (p. 136)
• FedEx (p. 140)
• Brooklyn Academy of Music (p. 144)
• Amazon.com (p. 148)
• Harley-Davidson (p. 150)
• Chicago GSB (p. 154)
• Presbyterian Church (p. 158)
• The Franklin Institute Science Museum (p. 162)
• Zoom (p. 166)
• Mobil (p. 170)
• Census 2000 (p. 174)
• Merger
• BP (p. 176)
• Cingular (p. 180)
• Citi (p. 184)
• Pharmacia (p. 188)
• Bank of America (p. 194)
• Creating the New
• Sanctum (p. 198)
• Tazo (p. 202)
• Martha Stewart (p. 206)
• 92 (p. 210)
• White House Conference for Children (p. 212)
• Center City District (p. 214)
• Foodsource (p. 218)
• Appendices
• Origins of Brand Identity (p. 220)
• Global Metrics (p. 222)
• Bibliography (p. 224)
• Index (p. 226)

Author notes provided by Syndetics

ALINA WHEELER applies her strategic imagination to help build brands, create new identities, and design brand-identity programs for Fortune 100 companies, entrepreneurial ventures, foundations, and cities. Her firm, Rev Group, works closely with founders, CEOs, and senior management to insure that their vision is communicated clearly to accelerate their success. She is a former national board member of AIGA and was named an AIGA Fellow in 1998.