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Yesterday, in its first monthly San Francisco luncheon co-sponsored with the Association of American Journalists and Authors, the Northern California Book Publicity and Marketing Association invited Robert Friedman, founder of Fearless Branding, to speak to its members about one of the biggest buzz words in the book business these days: branding.

"Brand is not the same thing as marketing," said Friedman, who worked at advertising agencies in New York and then on such brands as Kraft and Nestle, early in his discussion. He explained that brand "becomes the foundation on what the marketing is built."

He said it starts with a "who are you" kind of conversation, and the further it is explored, the more companies (publishers and authors in this case) can uncover not just the unique value of their offerings but also the market that wants that value most. The next step in branding, said Friedman, is to segment that market.

He used several examples of good branding to make his points. Take Ralph Lauren's Polo brand: Friedman pointed out that the archetype behind the brand was the concept of a lifestyle that could be labeled "aristocrat"; he then showed how Polo kept this archetype message consistent in its advertising.

Tiffany's little blue box was another good brand example Friedman examined. The brand provides an emotional, functional, and aesthetic appeal that helps to establish brand with the consumer. Or in other words: a brand can't just have meaning; it must also deliver on a promise.

In books, Friedman suggested that publishers and authors first consider the needs of their consumers. Next, he said, they should examine the consumer's first introduction to their product (e.g., the book jacket) and whether that helps break the product out of the clutter. Finally, they should determine what they (publisher and author) want the customer to take away from their product—it could be the content of the book or the type of story, like Dan Brown's brand.

Friedman pointed to Malcolm Gladwell's consistently designed and branded titles, from The Tipping Point to Outliers. He said what Gladwell offers is "understanding" of complex things, and the books are packaged in a consistent, recognizable way.

What successful brands (like Polo, Tiffany's, and even Malcolm Gladwell) have in common, Friedman said, is that they are all built upon a single meaningful idea relevant to a specific market. "When a brand is that simple and that clear, then the audience will have a very clear and simple reaction to it," he said.

Publicists in attendance, like Ulysses Press's Karma Bennett, believed Friedman provided some food for thought.

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