What do you think?
Rate this book
The Iconist: The Art and Science of Standing Out
Winner of the 2019 O.W.L. Outstanding Works of Literature Award
Why do we immediately recognize art by Van Gogh and Warhol?
What does Beethoven share with Rage Against the Machine and Madonna?
What makes us remember the words of Churchill and King (and Domino's Pizza, for that matter)?
With the rise of digital media and advertising, a constant barrage of information makes it nearly impossible to be seen and heard. In The Iconist , branding and design strategist Jamie Mustard shows you how individuals, organizations, and brands can break through the noise.
The secret to standing out lies in creating content that the desired audience will "lock" onto and remember with little effort—simple, bold ideas that can be immediately understood. The Iconist reveals a set of primal laws in human society that explain why some things stand out and endure in the mind, while others are rejected. Blending relevant examples from history and pop culture with cutting-edge psychology, Mustard explores why certain things stick and others fade from memory—and gives you an owner's manual to make any idea, product, or service stand out and be remembered. Forget relying on luck or Mastering this process will enable you, no matter your field or endeavor, to confidently craft messages that resonate with your target audience through simple, fool-proof methods.
For businesses, marketers, teachers, advertisers, artists—from thought leaders to anyone trying to write a resume— The Iconist shows how to grab and hold attention. Fair warning, This book will change the way you view your audience . . . and the entire world around you.
Why do we immediately recognize art by Van Gogh and Warhol?
What does Beethoven share with Rage Against the Machine and Madonna?
What makes us remember the words of Churchill and King (and Domino's Pizza, for that matter)?
With the rise of digital media and advertising, a constant barrage of information makes it nearly impossible to be seen and heard. In The Iconist , branding and design strategist Jamie Mustard shows you how individuals, organizations, and brands can break through the noise.
The secret to standing out lies in creating content that the desired audience will "lock" onto and remember with little effort—simple, bold ideas that can be immediately understood. The Iconist reveals a set of primal laws in human society that explain why some things stand out and endure in the mind, while others are rejected. Blending relevant examples from history and pop culture with cutting-edge psychology, Mustard explores why certain things stick and others fade from memory—and gives you an owner's manual to make any idea, product, or service stand out and be remembered. Forget relying on luck or Mastering this process will enable you, no matter your field or endeavor, to confidently craft messages that resonate with your target audience through simple, fool-proof methods.
For businesses, marketers, teachers, advertisers, artists—from thought leaders to anyone trying to write a resume— The Iconist shows how to grab and hold attention. Fair warning, This book will change the way you view your audience . . . and the entire world around you.
272 pages, Hardcover
Published October 1, 2019
34 people are currently reading
1087 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
February 18, 2020
Takeouts:
- Economics of attention.
- Radical simplicity (not that I'm think highly of this concept).
- Timeless primordia laws of human attention.
Downsides:
- Repetition. Repetition. Repetition. In all seriousness, we got that there be dilution the first time around!
- Some of the referenced info is plain old false.
Other goodies:
Q:
With my background in economic history, I set out to see if there were in fact patterns of iconic communication. Was there an economics of attention? What makes some things imprint in the mind while other things are repelled? What causes any business, science, art, idea, or message to stand out and become iconic? (c)
Q:
This book is a handbook to achieve radical simplicity. And these days, it is only simplicity that gets attention. (c) Which's saddish.
Q:
The Iconist centers around the concept of Icons and Blocks, which are similar ideas, but with a key distinction. A Block is a succinct, clear, bold, monolithic image, statement, melody, physical structure, or piece of design. Throughout the book we’ll explore examples, but what makes a Block a Block is that it can be immediately understood by any onlooker. By definition, a Block has not yet taken hold in the mind of the viewer or audience. It is an Icon in the making or an Icon about to happen. With consistent, deliberate, and up-front repetition, the Block grabs attention, stands out, and imprints itself in the minds of those you are trying to reach. In fact, if done correctly, it gives your intended audience no choice. That is when your Block becomes an Icon—once it has been accepted and imprinted in the minds of others. (c)
Q:
To become a successful Iconist you have to understand and believe that standing out is equal to if not more important than talent, at least as far as widespread success is concerned. History is littered with hardworking, brilliant people who died unknown and with pennies in their pockets because they did not find a way for their talents to be seen. (c)
Q:
Dan Henderson, one of his closest friends and a former world champion MMA fighter, said in an interview, “I guess I should just quit training to win fights . . . and go to shit talking school.” Fighters and championship contenders Phil Davis and Shane Carwin echoed the sentiment, coming forward to say that they would attend that school. (c)
Q:
Imagine you’re part of one of the first civilizations—a people who developed the first languages and built some of the first free-standing structures. Where did your quest for understanding begin? Where did your knowledge come from? What were you trying to emulate? That which you saw already perfect and working in the world around you. (c)
Q:
People become professionals and create companies to solve problems. Problems are, by nature, emotional. The key is to understand that no matter what you have to do or say, your job is solving a problem for someone, and that’s going to be emotional. Listen to those you are trying to convince. (c)
Q:
Our technology-induced expectation of being able to check any claim or review—anywhere at any time—makes us all now expect transparency. And when we don’t get it, we feel insulted. It is the same expectation, created by instant, real-time, ubiquitous access and sharing, that launched the Arab Spring in 2009. Here, the lack of transparency by corrupt regimes was unveiled by instant access to information, in real time, by everyone, anywhere, across almost any geography. Nearly all of the protests in this movement were organized on Facebook and Twitter, just a click away from where you read your Yelp restaurant reviews. What the Arab Spring proved is that when people irrefutably know they are being exploited and manipulated, in real time, they will risk death fighting to free themselves from the yoke of oppressive rule. Smartphones and social sharing embolden us to seek, share, and expect the truth. (c) Actually, no. That's false info.
- Economics of attention.
- Radical simplicity (not that I'm think highly of this concept).
- Timeless primordia laws of human attention.
Downsides:
- Repetition. Repetition. Repetition. In all seriousness, we got that there be dilution the first time around!
- Some of the referenced info is plain old false.
Other goodies:
Q:
With my background in economic history, I set out to see if there were in fact patterns of iconic communication. Was there an economics of attention? What makes some things imprint in the mind while other things are repelled? What causes any business, science, art, idea, or message to stand out and become iconic? (c)
Q:
This book is a handbook to achieve radical simplicity. And these days, it is only simplicity that gets attention. (c) Which's saddish.
Q:
The Iconist centers around the concept of Icons and Blocks, which are similar ideas, but with a key distinction. A Block is a succinct, clear, bold, monolithic image, statement, melody, physical structure, or piece of design. Throughout the book we’ll explore examples, but what makes a Block a Block is that it can be immediately understood by any onlooker. By definition, a Block has not yet taken hold in the mind of the viewer or audience. It is an Icon in the making or an Icon about to happen. With consistent, deliberate, and up-front repetition, the Block grabs attention, stands out, and imprints itself in the minds of those you are trying to reach. In fact, if done correctly, it gives your intended audience no choice. That is when your Block becomes an Icon—once it has been accepted and imprinted in the minds of others. (c)
Q:
To become a successful Iconist you have to understand and believe that standing out is equal to if not more important than talent, at least as far as widespread success is concerned. History is littered with hardworking, brilliant people who died unknown and with pennies in their pockets because they did not find a way for their talents to be seen. (c)
Q:
Dan Henderson, one of his closest friends and a former world champion MMA fighter, said in an interview, “I guess I should just quit training to win fights . . . and go to shit talking school.” Fighters and championship contenders Phil Davis and Shane Carwin echoed the sentiment, coming forward to say that they would attend that school. (c)
Q:
Imagine you’re part of one of the first civilizations—a people who developed the first languages and built some of the first free-standing structures. Where did your quest for understanding begin? Where did your knowledge come from? What were you trying to emulate? That which you saw already perfect and working in the world around you. (c)
Q:
People become professionals and create companies to solve problems. Problems are, by nature, emotional. The key is to understand that no matter what you have to do or say, your job is solving a problem for someone, and that’s going to be emotional. Listen to those you are trying to convince. (c)
Q:
Our technology-induced expectation of being able to check any claim or review—anywhere at any time—makes us all now expect transparency. And when we don’t get it, we feel insulted. It is the same expectation, created by instant, real-time, ubiquitous access and sharing, that launched the Arab Spring in 2009. Here, the lack of transparency by corrupt regimes was unveiled by instant access to information, in real time, by everyone, anywhere, across almost any geography. Nearly all of the protests in this movement were organized on Facebook and Twitter, just a click away from where you read your Yelp restaurant reviews. What the Arab Spring proved is that when people irrefutably know they are being exploited and manipulated, in real time, they will risk death fighting to free themselves from the yoke of oppressive rule. Smartphones and social sharing embolden us to seek, share, and expect the truth. (c) Actually, no. That's false info.
January 23, 2020
"Any book that can be easily summarized isn't worth reading." - Naval Ravikant
This book can be condensed into the 2 page section in the back of the book, The Primal Law of Blocks. "A block', the author states, 'in any medium is a succinct statement, phrase, image or design that can be understood instantly."
That's it. That's the whole book. Throw in some tangents that support a loose them of being an Iconist and you have the simplest, completely obvious yet most derivative pop-psychology book that I've ever read.
This book can be condensed into the 2 page section in the back of the book, The Primal Law of Blocks. "A block', the author states, 'in any medium is a succinct statement, phrase, image or design that can be understood instantly."
That's it. That's the whole book. Throw in some tangents that support a loose them of being an Iconist and you have the simplest, completely obvious yet most derivative pop-psychology book that I've ever read.
physical_to-read_stack
December 17, 2019I received my copy free through Goodreads Giveaways.
August 10, 2020
If you want to get noticed among all the noises, read this book. It shows you how to build 'block' and then become icon. Love it.
November 2, 2019
I got this book from the library because it has a chapter on an actor I like, Holt McCallany. I don’t usually read non-fiction but it is very interesting. I don’t think I’d adequately describe its content but read the book description. It was easy to read and absorb probably because it used the methods it’s trying to teach. Not too preachy. Good examples.
March 15, 2020
"Keep it simple!" With so many options in communication methods/channels it's very easy to forget this. The Iconist gives a rational cure and tools for standing out from the masses and gaining peace of mind at the same time
The book gathers great stories and analogies on the use of icons and their successes. It helps the reader construct simple yet impactful communication in all fields of life and gives a solid reasoning for the theory. The Iconist is honest to its message and makes sure to repeat its key ideas until exhaustion. Normally I would say this is unnecessary redundancy, but I do have to give credit to the fact that after reading the book, I feel like the important stories are clear as day.
A light yet interesting read for anyone who feels suffocated in the age of mass communication (both as a sender or receiver of information). Could have more depth regarding deepening the communication after initial impact, but the book does provide great insights anyway!
The book gathers great stories and analogies on the use of icons and their successes. It helps the reader construct simple yet impactful communication in all fields of life and gives a solid reasoning for the theory. The Iconist is honest to its message and makes sure to repeat its key ideas until exhaustion. Normally I would say this is unnecessary redundancy, but I do have to give credit to the fact that after reading the book, I feel like the important stories are clear as day.
A light yet interesting read for anyone who feels suffocated in the age of mass communication (both as a sender or receiver of information). Could have more depth regarding deepening the communication after initial impact, but the book does provide great insights anyway!
January 24, 2020
I won this book via a Goodreads Giveaway.
A lot of what the author posits makes sense, and he certainly uses his own idea of blocks and icons to make the point. However, I find that there’s a lack of scientific support and more anecdotal evidence. As he states, if he had incorporated more images, and if they weren’t all black and white, I think that would help, as would more clear examples. I almost feel more confused than when I started, but I know the importance of blocks and icons.
I will reread this, and will likely use some of his suggestions in my own work, but it was not my favorite book of this sort.
A lot of what the author posits makes sense, and he certainly uses his own idea of blocks and icons to make the point. However, I find that there’s a lack of scientific support and more anecdotal evidence. As he states, if he had incorporated more images, and if they weren’t all black and white, I think that would help, as would more clear examples. I almost feel more confused than when I started, but I know the importance of blocks and icons.
I will reread this, and will likely use some of his suggestions in my own work, but it was not my favorite book of this sort.
July 6, 2020
The Iconist will move you to make a change in how you sell and market today. I don't care what industry you're in. It applies across the board.
The author captures the BLOCK concept in such a way, that I felt like I already knew this on some level but just couldn't articulate. I have worked for many companies who barely understood their own brand or made their messaging so complex it was like selling matches underwater.
I got the audio book and wholly recommend it; without the author's voice, you won't pick up on his passion, sincerity and spot-on understanding of digital marketing today.
Johanne
The author captures the BLOCK concept in such a way, that I felt like I already knew this on some level but just couldn't articulate. I have worked for many companies who barely understood their own brand or made their messaging so complex it was like selling matches underwater.
I got the audio book and wholly recommend it; without the author's voice, you won't pick up on his passion, sincerity and spot-on understanding of digital marketing today.
Johanne
July 7, 2020
I thought this book was incredible and gave a new perspective on how to approach marketing for any style of business. Jamie gives insightful, relevant, and descriptive accounts on how to stand out in a market that is already overly saturated and inundated with advertising every single day. I would highly recommend this book to any business owner or anyone that wants to market themselves or their product, to me, it has shown a clearly stated message that gave incredible and beneficial insight on to how to gain more sales for our company.
I very much believe everyone should be reading this book. (Except my competitors)
I very much believe everyone should be reading this book. (Except my competitors)
January 21, 2024
Goodreads is where I come when I can't finish a book.
I got 89 pages in and it was like, when does the fluff give way to the lessons? It just feels like an introduction that never ends. Yes, blocks. Simplify your message, got it. Can we get some useful examples, some suggestions we can apply? Oh, we're going to talk about pyramids, mountains and triangles? Oh, ok, cool. I'm just gonna go ahead and return this to the library.
I got 89 pages in and it was like, when does the fluff give way to the lessons? It just feels like an introduction that never ends. Yes, blocks. Simplify your message, got it. Can we get some useful examples, some suggestions we can apply? Oh, we're going to talk about pyramids, mountains and triangles? Oh, ok, cool. I'm just gonna go ahead and return this to the library.
April 24, 2020
In a new age where it is difficult to be seen, reading this book was a breath of fresh air and gives a lot of insight on how to allow your work to stand out and be seen. I would highly recommend this book and it's principles to young marketers wanting to level up in their careers, or to anyone who wants to win in the digital age.
February 17, 2020
Jamie Mustard provides some incredible insights in to how to stand out and all the while keeps you reading. The book itself is excellently crafted, and the material both stimulating and informative. Would certainly recommend to those searching for a way to make their work stand out.
January 8, 2020
Good book with some interesting ideas. Might as well stop half way through though, because after that it’s all repetition. Which is one of the lessons, so it’s to be expected.
February 3, 2020
Efficient, synthetic and easy to practice, a way to get back to basic !
"Interesting and edgy, this book is a testimony of our digital world today. Exploring the assets of individual personnality and the means to cope with harassing multimedia sollicitations. A global science of getting trough it without selling our soul to the devil ! Easy to approach and to practice. An occasion to reckon with our inner self, brain and intuitions. A must read for 2020 !"
"Interesting and edgy, this book is a testimony of our digital world today. Exploring the assets of individual personnality and the means to cope with harassing multimedia sollicitations. A global science of getting trough it without selling our soul to the devil ! Easy to approach and to practice. An occasion to reckon with our inner self, brain and intuitions. A must read for 2020 !"
February 14, 2021
The book has a really great analysis on the psychology of sales that is applied to our everyday life. As I was reading the book I encouraged myself to try and spot many of what was spoken about in the book. It was a lot of fun and almost made me feel as though I had some secret knowledge nobody else had. If you are a business owner, work in sales or are building a brand, I recommend this book for you.
December 18, 2022
Eye opener to understand what makes anything stand out and how to apply it to your business
December 31, 2022
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in standing out, no matter what field they’re in. Thank you for this Jamie!
February 16, 2024
Interesting stories, but takes forever to get to the point.
The formula is:
Repetition and brevity + novelty = win and keep attention.
The formula is:
Repetition and brevity + novelty = win and keep attention.
March 28, 2024
finish this book within 90 minutes, quick summary in a few keywords: simple, bold, picture, sound, emotion, and then repeat!
June 26, 2025
3.5 stars
August 8, 2025
great ideas, but it could have been fourth of the size and still convey them well
August 8, 2019
I got a copy of the book via NetGalley and enjoyed reading the book.
The core concept of the book might not look to be too different from what we might find in numerous blogs or marketing books but in a key way is different. The usual advice for us is - BE Different. Find a Niche and dominate it.
Jamie talks about being different is not enough to get noticed. In order to do so, we need to follow a three step process:
1. crystallise our message to its barest, simple essence and then
2. use bold imagery (logo, statement, tune, etc) to be used as a hook to get people to notice
3. Repeat this bold imagery continuously to be noticed even within the clutter that all of us experience.
He walks the talk and the core message of the book is repeated in bold through out the book.
The stories that he uses to illustrate his point were fresh (at least to me as I hadnt not read about most of them).
The writing is simple and easy to read and follow.
If you are a creator of any kind and want to stand out in a crowd, I would recommend that you spend the few hours and read the book.
The only thing that could have made the book even more valuable was if he could have used more examples of how he got to the essence of the message that he used for his clients that made them stand out.
The core concept of the book might not look to be too different from what we might find in numerous blogs or marketing books but in a key way is different. The usual advice for us is - BE Different. Find a Niche and dominate it.
Jamie talks about being different is not enough to get noticed. In order to do so, we need to follow a three step process:
1. crystallise our message to its barest, simple essence and then
2. use bold imagery (logo, statement, tune, etc) to be used as a hook to get people to notice
3. Repeat this bold imagery continuously to be noticed even within the clutter that all of us experience.
He walks the talk and the core message of the book is repeated in bold through out the book.
The stories that he uses to illustrate his point were fresh (at least to me as I hadnt not read about most of them).
The writing is simple and easy to read and follow.
If you are a creator of any kind and want to stand out in a crowd, I would recommend that you spend the few hours and read the book.
The only thing that could have made the book even more valuable was if he could have used more examples of how he got to the essence of the message that he used for his clients that made them stand out.
September 17, 2019
How can a person, place, or thing stand out in the huge deluge of information now? In The Iconist, the author uses the KISS method. KISS stands for keep it simple stupid. He also recommends using large, bright, simple and symmetrical blocks of visual information to engage distracted humans. Finally, he recommend repeating the same message over and over. Familiarity is a good thing in our complicated world. Once people see your block and, more importantly, remember it, it becomes an icon.
The Iconist presents several examples of how blocks have been used in the past by artists and architects. This section seemed a bit unconvincing to me. If you look at anything closely enough, you can see the underlying geometric shapes. I did enjoy the examples of blocks in music. The best part of Bad Guy is the Duh! hook. It does get your attention and makes the song unforgettable. The author continues to provide many more examples of how blocks can work in any industry.
Overall, the idea of repeating a short engaging phrase to represent you or your company sounds good. I am going to try it on my blog in the near future to see if it works. If you are trying to get attention in a crowded world, it can’t hurt. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars!
Thanks to BenBella Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
The Iconist presents several examples of how blocks have been used in the past by artists and architects. This section seemed a bit unconvincing to me. If you look at anything closely enough, you can see the underlying geometric shapes. I did enjoy the examples of blocks in music. The best part of Bad Guy is the Duh! hook. It does get your attention and makes the song unforgettable. The author continues to provide many more examples of how blocks can work in any industry.
Overall, the idea of repeating a short engaging phrase to represent you or your company sounds good. I am going to try it on my blog in the near future to see if it works. If you are trying to get attention in a crowded world, it can’t hurt. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars!
Thanks to BenBella Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
December 29, 2019
Absolutely cannot wait to begin utilizing the iconic techniques outlined in this engaging and informative book!!
December 22, 2019
Amazing gift 🎁 Have shared it with friends and family and the more sophisticated the leader the more excited the response. It makes you think about how we see and hear everything around us.
August 18, 2019
** Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with the digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review **
Hay varios de los conceptos, que no representan una gran novedad, pero debo decir que igualmente la forma en la que están trabajados es novedosa. La lectura es fácil y amena, para nada dificultosa. Lo recomiendo.
Hay varios de los conceptos, que no representan una gran novedad, pero debo decir que igualmente la forma en la que están trabajados es novedosa. La lectura es fácil y amena, para nada dificultosa. Lo recomiendo.
August 6, 2019
Technology made our lives easier and more complicated at the same time. How can you and your business stand out, attract attention and keep the audience interested in what you are and what you do? Simplicity is the key and it is well-explained in this book.
November 5, 2019
This book was incredible. I have a feeling I’m going to be thinking about it for a long time.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews