Big Little Legends

How Everyday Leaders Build Irresistible Brands

Gair Maxwell

Without Magic, It’s Just Marketing

Ever wonder why among 35,000 masterworks in the Louvre, just one comparatively unremarkable, 30-by-21-inch painting is perpetually surrounded by tourists, all jostling to take a selfie and share their experience? In Big Little Legends, you’ll discover timeless secrets such as the Mona Lisa Effect—an invisible force that flips the dynamics for certain brands, attracting the customer to them. Magically, they become irresistible.

But here’s the secret: it’s not magic. In a wild, rollicking journey through brands in many sectors, brand strategist and history maven Gair Maxwell explores real-life stories of otherwise ordinary, everyday leaders who accomplished extraordinary results—and reveals how they did it. You’ll learn how successful brands focus their marketing efforts on creating an organic pull instead of a manufactured push, ditching the frustration of pitching and advertising and ensconcing their brands as a “Category of One” for decades to come.

You’ll learn how to become a word-of-mouth juggernaut and make people become willing accomplices in marketing your brand. From a “Huggable” car dealership on Canada’s east coast to slap-happy fishmongers in Seattle, an Ontario burger stand to a Vegas pawn shop and more, Big Little Legends is jam-packed with reasons why every brand should discover, tell and believe in their own story.

Reviews

“Big Little Legends distills the essentials of brand marketing into one core question: ‘What is your story?’ Gair Maxwell’s approach to understanding the art of storytelling is truly inspirational and easy to implement. By mastering this simple, yet impactful approach you will be able to expand market share for your business and forge a path toward enriching the lives you touch.”

TODD MILLAR president and CEO, TEC (The Executive Committee) Canada

“The best organizations understand that people want more than just products and services. Using fascinating and unusual examples of success, Gair Maxwell shows how to create a brand identity that really matters.”

DAVID MEERMAN SCOTT co-author of Fanocracy, a Wall Street Journal bestseller

“It’s BRILLIANT! I absolutely loved Big Little Legends! My only regret was deciding to read it while at work because it totally derailed my day. I couldn’t put it down!”

SHANTEL LIPP president, Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association

“This book makes you think way outside the tackle box. Get hooked from the first chapter and see why this is no catch-and-release. A real keeper for sure!”

BOB IZUMI creator and host, Bob Izumi’s Real Fishing Show

“Big Little Legends helps you understand to the core of your being that the surest path to victory is creating and becoming a ‘Category of One.’ This is simply a mindset that any entrepreneur or business leader can choose to adopt, provided they’re willing to explore ideas others might find a little too dangerous!”

JEFF ALPAUGH founder “The World’s Most Dangerous Dress Shirt”

LESS

Gair Maxwell is a storyteller, brand strategist and self-described history junkie who marvels at the sight and sound of a well-struck drive off the tee. A frequent-flying keynote speaker, he has shared speaking stages with icons such as Richard Branson and Gene Simmons, and was named Speaker of the Year by TEC Canada, the country’s largest CEO organization.

Gair is an accredited Tennessee Squire, preferring Jack Daniel’s on the rocks and a cold Moosehead. A life-long fan of Van Halen, he believes both versions of the band—the one with David Lee Roth and the one with Sammy Hagar—should be considered legendary. Gair currently resides in London, Ontario, with his business and life partner, Dana Zilic, and their brood of two cocker spaniels (Theodore & Sophie) and a beagle-mix rescue named Maggie. Big Little Legends is his second book.

ISBN 978-1-77458-166-7
$24.95 CAD • $19.95 USD
Published November 9, 2021

5.25 × 8 • 350 Pages
Paperback, ebook