Three small books by Marty Neumeier that still pack a punch!
The other day, while moving a few things around in my home office, I spotted three slim, white-spined books sitting quietly on the shelf - Zag, The Brand Gap, and The Brand Flip, all by Marty Neumeier.
I haven’t read them in years. But I remembered how much they resonated with me the first time around, so I picked them up again. It was like catching up with an old friend who still has a few zingers up their sleeve.
Each one takes just an afternoon to read, but leaves ideas that stick with you for years. They're the kind of books you highlight, dog-ear, and want to lend to people (but never do because you know you’ll want them back). If you’re in design, marketing, product, or running a business of any kind — they’re worth your time, even now.
Here’s a few quick thoughts on each:
The Brand Gap
This is the one I always recommend first. It’s foundational. Neumeier lays out what brand really means (spoiler: it’s not your logo) and how to bridge the gap between logic and magic, business and design. It breaks down how to create a brand that’s meaningful, different, and consistent, not just visually, but experientially.
What struck me reading it again is how relevant it still feels. Even in a world of growth loops, dark mode, and generative AI, the core truths about clarity, differentiation, and customer trust haven’t changed.
If anything, they matter more now.
Zag
“When everyone zigs, zag.”
If The Brand Gap gives you the why, Zag gives you the how - especially if you’re building something new. It’s all about finding your radical difference, and defending it. Not just being different for the sake of it, but strategically different in a way that’s hard to copy and easy to remember.
It’s full of simple frameworks: how to write a “only” statement, how to identify your competitive herd, how to craft your onliness. It's a little intense at times - part manifesto, part battle cry - but honestly, that energy is kind of what makes it great.
Reading it again reminded me that clarity is strategy. And that in a saturated world, being different is more valuable than being better.
The Brand Flip
This one’s a bit more modern, a response to the rise of the empowered customer. It argues that brands are no longer what companies say they are, but what customers believe they are.
It explores how to co-create your brand with your audience, how to build tribes around belief systems, and how to think of your business as a platform rather than just a product. There’s also a solid chapter on aligning your brand and culture, something a lot of teams say but rarely operationalise.
It’s ideal for anyone thinking about communities, customer advocacy, or building something that people want to be part of, not just buy.
Final wrap up
All three of these books share something rare. They’re sharp without being cynical, strategic without being sterile, and easy to read without being lightweight. And even though they were written years ago, they feel more like timeless reminders than outdated playbooks.
They’ve re-lit a bit of a fire for me around brand thinking, not as a design exercise, but as a way of shaping how people feel, trust, choose, and return.
If you're a designer, a founder, or someone trying to make something people care about, I'd recommend picking them up (or picking them back up, like I did).
Sometimes the right idea hits harder the second time around.
Let me know what you think.
