BRAND WARFARE: 10 Rules for Building the Killer Brand

In this short, concise work, D'Alessandro, CEO of the John Hancock insurance group, entertainingly hammers home the importance of creating and maintaining a brand. In his view, a brand is whatever image a customer conjures up upon hearing a company's name, so everything from the firm's labor practices to its product and advertising must be taken into account. To make his points, D'Alessandro draws heavily on his former career in advertising and public relations. On having Orville Redenbacher as a client: "We literally thought he was insane." But in the end, he says, "Orville taught me...the power of a good brand to trump all rhyme or reason in the marketplace." From a consumer's point of view, brands save time, project a certain image to the rest of the world and make one feel part of the group that uses the brand. He discusses the steps to building a brand, consistently emphasizing that, if it is to resonate, the brand must have one simple image. D'Alessandro doesn't break much new ground here, but he succeeds at reminding everyone from the CEO to the people on the assembly line that their company's brand is its most crucial asset. Practical, psychologically astute and clearly written, this book has much to offer businessfolk of all stripes. (May 1)

Forecast:A $500,000 advertising and publicity campaign, national radio and television interviews, a six-city author tour and D'Alessandro's savvy advice and irreverent humor will get the 100,000-copy first printing moving in no time.