On Message

On Message: How A Compelling Narrative Will Make Your Organization Succeed by Zach Friend, 176 pages

In On Message, Friend, a former Obama campaign spokesman, offers up some tips on creating a good brand and marketing campaign. As can be expected, he illustrates his points about narratives and branding with examples from Obama's 2008 and 2012 campaigns; however, he also discusses brands with a cult following, including Apple, Starbucks, Nike, and Southwest Airlines.

Friend's book is easy to read and understand, with clear language and examples. I found very little to disagree with, which was a first for my last several months of delving into business books for the Business Reads book group. What makes this appealing, however, is that a lot of what Friend suggests can be done at any price point, and on any scale, from an individual promoting him or herself to a global corporation trying to recover from a controversy. Well worth the short amount of time it will take to read it.