What do you get when you throw a room full of marketers, managers and lawyers at a brand? Not much.

I don't give a lot of book reviews but sometimes one comes along at just the right time. Like, right when I'm (passionately) prodding several of my clients and colleagues to let more of their brand's personality shine--and right when they (understandably) retort, "Give me several firm success stories as to why I should."

So it was uber nice of Rohit Bhargava to spend scores of hours writing *Personality Not Included (with tons of brand examples) to help me prove my point.

(Thanks Rohit, I do appreciate when others put in the hard yards for me.)

Here are my thoughts on varying fronts:

• Flow: I found the read conversational, packed with examples and easy-to-understand guidelines.
• Balanced: it strikes a nice balance of why personality matters even more in a social media era...but didn't harp too heavily on Web 2.0.
• Music to my ears: it was very centered on building trust--which may seem intangible but is very real when it comes to customer relationships and, yes, revenues.
• Let's get it straight from the get-go: Rohit very clearly states in the first few pages that personality is NOT a substitute for a crappy product. The goal is a great product and a personality that differentiates it. Gotta have both. Yup, both.
• True to its title: And I want to remark on the design of the book and the website. Very catchy, fun and full of personality. Bravo.

I'm interested in feedback from marketers at larger companies that are fighting to put not just a "face" but a real soul on their brands...because, let's face it, in a boardroom full of marketing strategists, marcomm execs, marketing research analysts, mangers and (cough) lawyers, it's very easy to come out with a very diluted, very dull brand.

And diluted and dull just don't reside in the same city, county or country as personality.

Lastly, I'd like to offer up some promotional suggestions for Rohit (hope they're helpful):

• Promo tactic for the book: if you're not already, you might consider giving away those cute little mohawk chick thingies (what are they called?) featured on the front cover as part of your promotional tactics.
• Ongoing promotional platform: I also recommend making a cute trophy out of your chicks--if designed well, they'd make for a darling little desktop ornament--and award them to the "Top Personality Performers." Could make for an annual contest of distinction to run at your blog with many weighing-in and voting. You might even market the awards "In recognition of the daring brands who've steered clear of the doldrums, and risen high above the din of me-too myopia." I think it could net some press coverage, be a platform for follow-up articles and be a lot of fun for readers, to boot.

Update (4/21): Valeria Maltoni provides her excellent take on the book (and views on brand personality) right here.

Disclaimer: I received the book as part of the goodie bags we gave to attendees at Blogger Social where Rohit literally lugged 90 very heavy, hot-off-the-press books in a BIG suitcase from Washington D.C. to the Big Apple. Then he had to stuff them in the goodie bags mere minutes before everyone arrived at Saturday's formal dinner. So of course I'm writing emails to Rohit saying "Thank you so much for your book donation...but, um, do be careful when you stuff the books in our carefully prepared goodie bags as we want them to stay pretty for our attendees." And he was so patient with bossy me (a zillion thanks, Rohit...your book is a tour-de-force ;-).

Comments

[Valeria Maltoni]

I will be posting my review tomorrow, but it's already written ;-) I love how yours flows and the book was a good read. I had ordered a half dozen books from Amazon before Blogger Social and now I have a sky-high shelf of more goodies. I picked PNI to read first because it spoke to me. I felt I could use it immediately at work - and I already did!

[Rohit]

CK -

Thanks for posting this review, it was GREAT to meet you at Blogger Social in NY. If you do choose the book for the book club, let me know what I can do to help! My absolute favourite type of discussion about the book is rapidly becoming one with book clubs because they are full of people passionate about books who are used to asking insightful questions. I'm sure your club fits that mold too (in fact, come to think of it, I need to join!)

Rohit