Brands and Bands is a book about branding, written by brand consultant Nigel Davies. Blending real and fictional brands, music, and personal experiences, it presents branding concepts through storytelling rather than a conventional guide.
Here, he explains why he took this approach and what he hopes readers will take away from it.
So, Brands and Bands—it's a semi-autobiographical book. Was it important for you to make it personal rather than just a business book?
It felt like the only way to write it. There are plenty of books about branding—some of them excellent, some less so—but I didn’t want to add another formulaic guide to the pile. Branding isn’t a checklist; it’s something you experience, and stories capture that better than frameworks ever could. Stories help people make sense of what can sometimes feel overwhelming.
The book describes branding as a secret language—something some businesses seem to understand instinctively while others struggle. Do you think branding is genuinely complicated, or do people just overcomplicate it?
Branding is about clarity. But when people don’t have clarity, they fill in the gaps with complexity. That said, not all businesses understand branding instinctively either. It’s not that branding is difficult—it’s that people get distracted by the wrong things. Instead of understanding what makes them different, they chase trends, logos, and whatever their competitors are doing. The best brands aren’t the ones that shout the loudest; they’re the ones that know exactly who they are and communicate that without noise.
And the music side?
That’s just as much a part of who I am. I’ve been buying records since I was ten years old and have over 6,000. More recently, I queued outside record shops at six in the morning for Record Store Day, CUD were my favourite band at university (I had many T-shirts), and a few years ago, I started a vinyl night called Vinylly Friday. These aren’t random details—they’re part of my life. And branding, when it’s done right, works in the same way. It resonates because it means something to the people who connect with it.
Carrie is the most grounded in truth among the characters. Who—or what—inspired her?
When you’re trying to market yourself, one of the first things people tell you is to define your ideal client. Mine was always called Carrie—someone from the North, with an ex-husband, starting a new career in interior design after leaving corporate life. A few years ago, I was sitting in a pub, much like the Stone Harp, when a woman sat next to me. She was trying to establish herself in interior design, loved David Bowie, was from the North, and had a rubbish ex. She wasn’t called Carrie, but her name rhymed with Carrie, started with a C and I really did help her with branding.
When I started writing the book, everyone kept saying, write it for your ideal client. And then it hit me—why not just make her part of it? Fortunately, the real Carrie said yes.
The book is set in 2012. Why that year specifically?
A few reasons. First, I wanted to avoid branding being too focused on social media and more recent global issues. Now, it’s easy to think that branding begins and ends with Instagram, Facebook groups, and online engagement. But in 2012, Instagram had only just launched, and branding was still brand-led rather than platform-led. It was also the year of the London Olympics, which brought a real feel-good factor. And everyone hated the brand.
On a personal level, it made sense. In 2012, I was 42 and had just become an independent brand consultant after years in corporate roles and running my own agency. The book only covers about six months, but it felt like the right place to start. Also, 2012 was the start of the vinyl revival, which tied into the theme of looking at things differently—whether that’s branding or music (and also me buying a lot more records, as our office was just off Carnaby Street).
The book blends storytelling with branding insight. Was that always the plan, or did the format evolve?
It evolved. I focused on the branding journey first, and just like when you find yourself humming a song without realising, the music followed. There were certain bands I knew I wanted to include, but I didn’t want to force branding and music together unnaturally. The brand insights always came first. If the book had been called Bands and Brands, it might have sounded like a book about branding for musicians, which it isn’t.
The Brand Doughnut plays a key role in the book. How did you develop that framework?
It evolved over 20 years of experience working with clients and is probably an evolution of other methodologies. People started calling it the doughnut, so I embraced it. Just like in branding, giving it a name made it more memorable.
You have experimented with AI in different ways while developing the book. How have you used it in the writing process?
I started using AI on the fringes a few years ago—asking ChatGPT to write silly stories and seeing what it could do. It’s improved a lot. But it can’t write my life story (or make it up), it hasn’t lived it, and it can’t write my perspective on branding; it’s never worked in branding. I’ve mainly used it as an editor, checking grammar and fluency. When I’ve already written something, it can add a layer of polish. I’ll still need to work with a human editor, but AI is helping me get further and faster.
How does the website contribute to building the world of Brands and Bands? Is it just a place to sell the book, or is it part of a bigger vision for expanding the story and ideas beyond the page?
As well as loving music, I’ve always enjoyed video games. They offer pure escape—time to switch off from the real world for an hour or so. What I love most about modern games is their immersive worlds, the depth and texture that make them feel alive. Play something like Grand Theft Auto or Fallout, and you’ll see how every detail has been considered. Pick up the smallest item, and there’s a backstory that connects to the game’s world, reflecting or satirising real life. GTA does it through its radio stations and sharp take on commercialism, while Fallout builds its universe with posters and brands frozen in a pre-apocalyptic world. Without those details, the experience would feel flat.
Why create a podcast using AI?
It’s a time-saving approach. I’d love to do a real podcast, but for now, asking Google NotebookLM to review various content seemed like an engaging way to create something credible and fun. It’s not perfect, but it’s quite natural and suits the tone. Also, it’s important that I’m creating a brand experience, not just a book. Normally, you wouldn’t start with marketing first, but with a book about branding, it felt like the right thing to do. It makes it more believable.
You also created a blog written by Dave and Carrie. What was the thinking behind that?
The AI-generated podcast is very good, but there are times when it says things I don’t entirely agree with or leaves things out. You’re not specifically directing it what to say, just providing some content and allowing the digital hosts to comment. Editing the conversations wasn’t an option, so I thought—why not have Dave and Carrie comment on it? In real life, people say things, and others challenge or correct them. This gives me a way to do that within the Brands and Bands world.
Do you see AI as a creative tool, or do you think it risks diluting originality?
It can enhance creativity, but it can’t create original content with real depth and meaning. Maybe one day. But humans are less predictable, more random, and AI struggles with randomness. It tends to prefer straight, obvious choices. It’s very good at grammar, though.
Who do you think will get the most out of this book?
The book isn’t just for the other Carries out there, but I hope it will resonate with anyone struggling to move their business forward. They’ve been doing it a while, probably 18 months or so, but it seems stuck and more tangled than ever. Any business owner will get something from it, as will anyone who likes stories, as will anyone who likes music. Carrie is definitely universal. She represents bigger businesses as well as newer independents like herself and the general struggles we all have with navigating the business world.
What is next? Will Dave Blackwood be making another appearance?
There is only one book. I have only lived one life. But maybe I’ll keep the characters alive through blogs and podcasts as I develop new ideas.
If someone only takes away one key lesson from the book, what do you hope it is?
The answers you’re looking for are in front of you all the time. But sometimes, having a chat with someone over a pint of Guinness and listening to New Order helps you uncover them.
