Rating: 
Summary: Mutable
Review: I bought this book because it was recommended by Fred DeLuca, co-founder of Subway, as well as many of the reviewers here in Amazon. I do not quite share their enthusiasm.If you are not already a devout believer in the all-encompassing power of branding you will probably NOT be convinced of it by reading this book. Every "law" mentioned in this book is backed by nothing more than generalizations and countless non sequiturs. With some real analysis, I would not be surprised if some of these "laws" were proven to be partially or entirely false. There are some interesting ideas presented, but I do not think that is enough to recommend this book. If you do read it, make sure you take the "laws" with a grain of salt.
Rating: 
Summary: Good, but please! don't expect nirvana
Review: I can't believe some of these other reviews. Some guy gave it 5 stars and admitted that he hadn't read it yet! I assume that isn't a plant, because it's too stupid to be a plant. The book is good, thought-provoking, and has some real insights. HOWEVER, it is a little simplistic, and it's written for the brand manager of Coke. For those of us without 80+ years of brand history behind us yet, some of his advice isn't relevant. Also, some of his conclusions are just too simplistic: "Symbols are overrated and don't matter much anyway" (paraphrasing). Come on. You can't tell me the swoosh isn't a powerful asset, and the authors admit it, but they poo-poo the entire concept. Section on naming is very insightful. And the hard advice on expansion is right on! Overall, good, and worth buying for any marketing person. But, this is definitely NOT the bible. Come on, people!
Rating: 
Summary: "Yeah, right," I said
Review: I do a little consulting in marketing & branding. I've got five other books on branding sitting on the shelf, & I've plowed through four. I wouldn't say those other books were a waste of time, but I'm confident that this one has more immediately useful information than all of them taken together. And I'm stunned that it as easy read, not only informative but *fun*. This edition is the one you want, as it combines the 22 laws with the other 11 that pertain very specifically to the Internet. By the time you get through the first few, you will find yourself looking at every brand -- on television, in the stores, on your own shelves -- in a whole new light. One of the prime models, coincidentally enough, is Amazon.com itself. The authors' comments on this very site will probably open your eyes to how remarkable the Bezos legacy has been. I've barely finished, yet this book has already helped steer me better as to some website questions I had been studying. It's already paid for itself ten times over, & I am certain that the benefits have only begun. The simple, clear differentiation between a company name & a brand name has, by itself, been a unique lesson, & I've taken to heart the stern warnings (& wonderfully absurd object lessons) against line extensions & brand dilution. Don't let the somewhat bizarre cover put you off (as it did me). This is one of the few books that I intend to re-read on a regular basis, & I will read more Reis titles in the near future.
Rating:
Summary: "Yeah, right," I said
Review: I do a little consulting in marketing & branding. I've got five other books on branding sitting on the shelf, & I've plowed through four. I wouldn't say those other books were a waste of time, but I'm confident that this one has more immediately useful information than all of them taken together. And I'm stunned that it as easy read, not only informative but *fun*. This edition is the one you want, as it combines the 22 laws with the other 11 that pertain very specifically to the Internet. By the time you get through the first few, you will find yourself looking at every brand -- on television, in the stores, on your own shelves -- in a whole new light. One of the prime models, coincidentally enough, is Amazon.com itself. The authors' comments on this very site will probably open your eyes to how remarkable the Bezos legacy has been. I've barely finished, yet this book has already helped steer me better as to some website questions I had been studying. It's already paid for itself ten times over, & I am certain that the benefits have only begun. The simple, clear differentiation between a company name & a brand name has, by itself, been a unique lesson, & I've taken to heart the stern warnings (& wonderfully absurd object lessons) against line extensions & brand dilution. Don't let the somewhat bizarre cover put you off (as it did me). This is one of the few books that I intend to re-read on a regular basis, & I will read more Reis titles in the near future.
Rating:
Summary: Immutable?
Review: I don't know. To me it just seems much too easy to wait for a company to fail and then analyze and formulate certainties about why it failed. Conversely it's much to easy to do the same for a company that succeeds. I have yet to see anybody make projections about companies that are executing certain branding tactics RIGHT NOW!!! If these laws are immutable then we should clearly be able to find more than a handful of companies that have mutated these laws and say "Yes they will fail."
My feeling is that these laws and bits of certainties apply only to the past. And since the past can't be modified neither can the laws that are applied to them. But what about laws for the future? And can branding and marketing laws for the future even exist? Probably not. Because, and I'm sure most marketing guru's will agree, the tastes and preferences of consumers are anything but immutable. They change all the time. Even our ability to recieve and process information quite frankly depends on our mood - and I make that statement as a consumer and not as a Advertising specialist. I would not classify these ideas of this book as laws, but more as considerations. They are things to consider when making choices about a Brand Strategy. We can analyze to high heaven about why a Brand will pass or fail, but in the end it will depend on the fickle desires of the consumer. We do our best to forecast, but even the weatherman has screwed up a "Bright and Sunny" forecast on what resulted in a Rainy and Miserable day.
Consumers are no different. And it is improbable if not impossible that we will ever lock down End-All-Be-All laws that will encapsulate the "Whatever" attitude of the public.
Rating: 
Summary: Great book!! Uses examples of brands you see everyday!!
Review: I had to read this book for a project at work. I found it very easy and enjoyable to read. Even though it is written for Sr. Executives who are able to make major decisions in organizations, I found lots of valuable information.
Rating:
Summary: To focus and place a word in the prospect mind!
Review: I have read a few books written by Ries and there are two ideas that are emphasized again and again, that is, to focus and to place a word in the prospect mind. This book is no exception. The laws of branding built in this book are based on these two concepts. "Marketing is building a brand in the mind of the prospect". I totally agree. People are exposed to an over-communicated environment, to place a word in the prospect mind can surely lead your company to success. In fact, in customers' mind, there is no difference between your products and your competitors'. Only by building a brand can you differentiate your company from its competitors. I also agree that brand building is not just for marketing department but for the entire company, as a brand is not only composed of its name but also of its product, service, environment, communication and behavior of the company. Everything a company does is related to brand building. Therefore, apart from the name that includes the logotypes and the color, this book also provides us with a lot of ways to do with the brand. For examples, to focus in its scope, to achieve it with publicity and maintain it with advertising, to promote the category rather than the brand, to distinguish it from the company, to avoid using subbranding etc. This book is clear in the format and the content, illustrated by plenty of examples of what not to do and lessons on how to brand in the customer's mind! I can get a lot of insights from it. This book is worth reading! I highly recommend you to read it!
Rating:
Summary: Al Ries is a brand himself.. a good one.
Review: I haven't even touch the book yet but I already know it's good. Al Ries (and Jack Trout)speaks like a psychologist, knowledgeable like a lawyer, and authoritative like a CEO. I've read most of their other books and for most of what they preach, they back it up with sound, logical examples (both from history and current business scenarios.) I can't wait to get my hands on this book. "Al Ries".. now that's a brand I know!)
Rating:
Summary: Happy Branding to You
Review: I loved the idea of organizing the world of PR, which is what branding is all about, into 22 general laws. Very easy read, and I liked it as much as Levine's "Guerilla PR." Great books for research.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best
Review: I loved this book. Not only are the 22 laws excellent, but they are very quick and easy to read. Every page is interesting, written with a lively, enthusiastic tone. One of the best 3-4 business books i've read so far. I would definitely recommend you this book, unless you're a true excellent expert in branding. In that case, you will probably know most of the 22 immutable laws. But even though, i think it's worth it that you spend a couple of bucks to double check, because every law is very important and you better be sure you know them all. If you just know "a little" about branding, this is definitely a book that you will enjoy reading very much.
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