Promotion Books

This book is a great colection of essays by a brilliant thinker. In essays ranging from topics such as crime, education, psychology, and management, Ackoff manages to outline what systems thinking is truly about. Though I often did not agree with his prescriptions, the creative nature of his solutions very unique, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a thought provoking experience.

A fascinating collection of writings, compiled by the author, which explores, first and foremost, systems thinking and its effects upon business and management. But beyond this, these writings delve into an astounding array of subjects including: the nature of planning; problem solving; managing; mission statements; creativity and constraints; consumer design; education; crime; advertising; design of management systems; the nature of science and methodology; objectivity; rationality; the future of operations research; and the role of business in a democratic society. This book is nothing less than a journey into the many-faceted mind of a great thinker. For those with a high level of curiosity about systems, organization, business, the human mind, and society, this collection is a gold mine, reflecting the richness of thought of this exceptional person. Highly recommended.

The only book by Ackoff that I would recommend more highly is Re-creating the Corporation. These two books summarize much of his thought and philosophy of business design. If you are looking for a better understanding on systems thinking and its implications for organization design and peformance, and did not find it in Senge's The Fifth Discipline, then here is a great place to go. Put on your thinking cap and delve into Ackoff's Best.

This book collects provocative, insightful essays by Russell L. Ackoff, architect turned city planner turned behavioral scientist turned professor. True to his convictions about systems thinking, his pieces form a coherent whole. Like a successful system, the whole of this book is greater than the sum of its parts. And what parts: the roots of systems thinking; a properly irreverent approach to bureaucracy; the role of planning; a standard for mission statements; effective advertising advice. Ackoff is a voice in the wilderness as he fondly remembers his bureaucracy-bucking, folly-filled, smart-as-heck past. Although this book tends to veer toward the academic, managers and students of management will find it useful. We [...] recommend it to anyone seeking insight on creativity, education, and science. Tear into this book a little at a time; you won't be disappointed.

As a small business owner,one never has enough money to commit to an ad agency to handle a coordinated long-term marketing campaign. One needs to reduce one's message to its essence and then use unconventional means to get that message through to your prospects. "All You Need is a Good Idea" is a message of encouragement that the unconventional approach can work. A big agency veteran who has successfully implemented his approach in his own business, Jay Heyman provides invaluable tips as to how that "good idea" can be expanded through other mediums. Using anecdotes and plenty of underlying humor (humor helps with those inevitable missteps), he provides examples of what worked and didn't work and why. Most of all it's a rallying cry against mediocrity. As Jay puts it: "Pulling back from something outlandish is easier than trying to convince yourself that the dull idea that has appeared in front of you is worth pursuing." So for a minor investment of time and money, you gain from Jay's experience on how to put your own "good idea" into action.

I really liked this book and the conversational tone. It's like having a friendly talk with a marketing expert who knows you don't have a lot of money or time and isn't going to waste either one for you. Packed with great ideas on how to come up with good ideas that are clever, memorable, and effective, and that set you apart from your competitors. Highly recommended, especially for the case studies that really illuminate the thought process behind the creation of the idea.

I enjoyed this book! It is entertaining and chock-full of good ideas. As a non-marketing-type person, I wanted to gain some insight on the creative process that goes into marketing a good idea (before I spend another dollar of my marketing budget) and Jay Heyman's book was just what the doctor ordered.

The information is delivered in a humorous and conversational tone, as if I was the recipient of a free consultation with a seasoned marketing professional. The specific examples of what has and has not worked helps me think through my own ideas on how to deliver my message.

The format of the book (bullet points, Good Idea summations, etc) also makes it easy to use as a reference guide. As I moved through the material I found myself looking back to the "good ideas" from the earlier pages in order to connect the dots. Great book - 5 stars.

I liked this book. I can't say it is anything special. And I can't say that anything in particular included in it stood out for me. But the book is very practical, informal and easy to read. It's written by a seasoned ad man who has written this book to help marketers, small business owners, and entrepreneurs stand out from their competition. This book is all about how to create GOOD marketing communications. And that process starts with having good ideas. Hence, the title of this book: All you need is a good idea.

Good ideas result from novelty and cleverness. They give your business a different and lasting identity. And you'll get good ideas if you spend some time looking at what your competition is doing (and not doing). Build on what they do so you'll be better. And it is important to remember that GREAT ideas are not necessary. If you consistently pump out good ideas you will do just fine.

This was kind of a short book. It has small pages, large type, 1.5 line spacing, and the margins were not small. And it was padded with blank pages, too. But there is good content included. The long list of 21 chapters is geared toward helping the reader get his or her marketing creativity working. And I particularly liked the "Good Idea" sidebars. There were many bullets included throughout the book that helped me grasp points better as I read.

I would have liked the book better if was not as conversational as it was. The book felt a little like the author had not really written it. But instead, he had dictated into a digital recording device and had someone type his dictations into paragraph form. Maybe this explains why the author kept telling me what was to come later in the book. I generally don't like that style of writing. I like books that are well outlined and written. The kind where every word has a purpose and none are wasted. 4 stars!

PS. Take a look at the Search Inside information Amazon provides for this book. The TOC provided there will let you know specifically what this book covers.

Another massive collection of colorful magazine advertisements from Taschen. This is the same format as the first book in this series,'All-American Ads 50s', hundresd and hundreds of whole page consumer magazine ads (there are a few pages with two or four) beautifull printed.

As this edition covers the war years, 111 pages carry ads by American companies explaining how they are doing their bit for victory. On page 618 there is a 1941 Greyhound bus ad that features a map of the US showing all the main military camps and the copy tells how Greyhound runs a bus past most of them. In the chapter on 'Industry' I found sixteen 1945 ads from a metal producing company called Bohn, they show futuristic designs for various forms of transport and a wonderful streamline combine harvester.

Most of the ads in the book use illustration rather than photography, so much easier to stretch reality.

This is an ideal gift book for anyone who lived through the forties and if you are just curious about middle-class life back then these thousand ads will give you plenty to think about. A book bargain at the price.

This is one of a series of amazing books published by Taschen.
I have been purchasing them through Amazon (as some are difficult to locate through stores). The series so far covers the 1910s through to the 1980s, a volume per decade. Over 500 pages of quality reproductions of ads from consumer goods to movies of those decades. You could spend hours looking through these books - and still find something you missed last time around. Congratulations to the editor/s.

Baby boomers take note of this wonderful book! As one born in the late 1940's I can't recommend this book highly enough. Here are ads from the magazines when we were born. The ads are printed somewhat smaller for the full page ads and a lot smaller for quarter page ones. However the printing quality is good enough that you can read ads in their entirety even if you occasionally have to use a magnifying glass to read the smaller ones. (Yes, our eyes are beginning to show our age!)You people with good eyes won't have that problem. The ads will awaken a nostalgia for things you don't remember. The Zenith TV with the Giant CIRCLE screen! (It's probably 10 inches!) How about an ad for Rice Krispies with Snap, Crackle and Pop riding American fighter planes! The Greyhound Bus ad asking people to "Help a fighting man enjoy his precious leave or furlough" by giving up travel. It all 'ads' up to a wonderful trip back in time!

Off course I was born in the 40's so this adds is part of the world I lived, so I enjoyed it very very much. I used to collect old Reader's Digests specialy for the adds, it reflect the world of those days and most of it are true art works.
The selection is very wise and complete, the section I liked the most is the car section and the pictures quality is terrific I d'ont undestand how they got so good picture quality if it suppossed they take it material from old magazines.
I'm sure any body will enjoy it a lot.
I'd rate it 6 stars or more if posible.

The artwork is unique. The only thing to bother me was the cards had to be torn out. I knew this when I purchased them, but didn't think it'd make that big of a difference to me. It does.

If you like Victorian ephemera, this is the book of postcards you should buy. A very high quality product like most of the offerings from Dover. The postcards are beautiful and interesting.

It's funny how much and yet how little advertising has changed. These postcards will make you smile, and then make you think...

These reproductions of very old postcards from the Landauer Collection are great fun and might have gone UNdiscovered by me were it not for several family members who have become fascinated in A.T.C.s: 2 1/2" X 3 1/2/" Artist Trading Cards. The images are perfect to "remodel" and use for concocting your own cards /OR/ collages.

PLUS, you don't have to sacrifice the actual card but can copy on lighter weight Kodak paper to cut into small images. The postcards can then be used as intended for correspondence with lucky individuals who perhaps share your taste in the unusual & colorful objects used in turn-of-the-century advertising. You may find some you can't resist for your own amusement - to decorate a window sill, for example - OR - ?

The books of 24 cards (each) make interesting gifts - and even better, you can "pair" with "The Antique Advertising Paper Dolls" (isbn: # 0486240452). The cover of that collection would be a wonderful decoration for your own ALBUM of A.T.C.s. You can see how serendipitous this hobby becomes >> from postcards to trading cards to paper dolls. Reviewer mcHAIKU is pleased that each of these has an appeal even for today's teens who try to appear sophisticated/COOL yet want for themselves a slice of someone else's nostalgia!

Some non-fiction books are written by skillful scriveners with only a passing, or recently acquired, knowledge of the sibject matter; others by unquestionable experts whose literary skills have all the sparkle of a rural telephone directory.

Seldom does one encounter an author who has been there, done that, and is able to convey the "how-to" of his topic with both clarity and a touch of pizazz.

Such a book/writer combination is "The Art Of Cause Marketing" by Richard Earle, which may endure as a bible of non-commercial advertising, beginning with the genesis of core objectives through every aspect of the production, delivery and feedback processes.

It has the thoroughness of a scholarly text, but is rich in anecdotes, case histories and quotations from a veritable "Who's Who" of advertising heavyweights.

Much of its readability stems, no doubt, from Earle's early roots in television and theatre, prior to an impressive career as a copywriter, creative director and consultant in big-time marketing.

Among the millions of words he probably assembled and/or massaged, perhaps the most memorable would be one of the phrases of which he is least proud. His "enquiring minds want to know" rocketed a tabloid magazine to the top of its tawdry heap.

He is more likely to point with pride to his writing and supervision of the "Trust Tylenol" ads, which spearheaded that product's recovery and return to market domination after two nearly disastrous tampering incidents.

The candor and courage exhibited by his client, Johnson & Johnson, in that crisis reflected Earle's obviously strong belief that honesty, simplicity and straight talk have a far greater impact than shallowness, however cleverly it may be presented.

Before retiring to full-time involvement in cause marketing, Earle garnered two gold "Effies"," and over 50 other industry awards, including the coveted "Gold Lion" at Cannes, so he knows whereof he writes.

The 322 pages of this book are replete with examples of actual cause marketing campaigns, both those that succeeded and some that missed their marks. In the latter category, he shows a refreshing willingness to reveal many of his own bad calls.

Of current vintage are his detailed accounts of such ongoing campaigns as the anti-smoking drives in Massachusetts, which he serves as a principal consultant, and which have contributed to a dramatic reduction in cigarette usage throughout the Bay State and beyond.

Also seasoning the book are references to and direct quotations of scores of stars in the advertising firmament, most of them stemming from a direct relationship with the author.

Besides being a "must read" for the in crowd of both advertising and cauise marketing, Earle's volume contains a wealth of useful information for anyone involved in dealing with the public.

This reviewer, for one (an escapee from sales management), gained an entirely new perspective on both marketing and causes, seeing some things for the very first time and others for the first time without the filtering effect of smoke and mirrors.

Other readers, particularly those involved in the flawed campaigns cited, might find it rough going at times, since Richard Earle pulls no punches regarding the agonies of defeat as well as the thrills of victory.

It might well have been titled "How To Influence People Without Necessarily Winning Friends."

Mr. Earle has produced a well-written and comprehensive book that carefully and clearly explains how to develop successful public service campaigns.

As a public information official for the City of New York, I was often frustrated by the lack of information available on this subject. While I was able to glean some information from several books or internet sources, there was no definitive resource guide that offered solid counsel on how to effectively create and disseminate important messages to the public.

Mr. Earle's invaluable book is the guide I have been looking for. I was particularly enlightened by his insistence on the proper research and testing of ads, and his insightful critiques of numerous campaigns really illuminated the reasons why some ads worked well while others were either ineffective or counter-productive. These are but two examples of the many lessons I learned by reading this book, lessons that have already influenced the way I approach and execute my work.

In addition to being very informative, this book is also very inspiring. It really imparts that notion that cause marketing is a noble and important profession, one that can truly help change the world. In a way this book changed my life, because it really lit a fire under me to pursue new opportunities in this field. I'm sure that people who have the same passion for this kind of work will be similarly inspired!

Reading this book also led to an interesting experience: Not only did Mr. Earle share his wealth of knowledge and expertise with me through his book, but he was gracious enough to share it with me in person!

Several days after buying the book I contacted Mr. Earle and expressed my appreciation for his book. Not three weeks later I had the pleasure of meeting him and his colleague Barbara Fagan during his visit to New York City. Mr. Earle and Ms. Fagan gave me excellent career advice and some valuable observations regarding a public service campaign I created a couple of years ago. It was a most enjoyable and inspiring meeting!

I am also a fan of Mr. Earle's excellent website which offers additional information on cause marketing, including "picks" of the latest new cause marketing campaigns, availability and notification of seminars and lectures by Mr. Earle and his staff, latest news about social marketing activities, and links to interesting Cause sites.

Check it out!

What a pleasure to have a whole book devoted to the most noble kind of advertising. With refreshing sincerity, Richard Earle takes us through all the facets of building a public service campaign and offers valuable advise about everything from approaching the media to judging creative.

I really appreciated Richard Earle's insistence that the strategy behind the creative message be carefully thought through and tested. He presents some eye-opening reasons why this discipline is even more important in the realm of cause-related campaigns. While most of the case studies are about large-scale campaigns, there is plenty here for people working on a smaller scale.

Of particular interest to me, were Earle's thoughts about the need to reform political advertising. After a few brave comments, he says, "but that's the subject of another book". I'll be watching for it.

As a marketing professor, this is the first time I've come across a truly enlightening book on social cause marketing. I read it non-stop, page after page, devouring Mr. Earle's tons of wisdom. It gave much practical insights and I appreciate it coming from someone with lots of experience and daring to speak his mind out. The book covered a comprehensive range of topics including research. media, and the various forms of advertising. I found "Planning the Campaign" particularly instructive.

Social cause marketers must read this book. I see so many ads go to waste because of creative licence that has nothing to do with the audience's interests. How shameful! Especially so for social cause advertising that can potentially do more harm than good. It is high time that social cause marketers learn how to be more effective in their campaigns and ad agencies more responsible in their proposals.

As a researcher, I can't help but think through the various psychological theories that can be applied to explain the effectiveness and non-effectiveness of some of the campaigns. Some I can theorize why, and some I can't. It goes to show, this is really more an art than a science, and Mr Earle has helped us master the art.

This book gives you the basic knowledge to undertand an organization, how is structure and how the internal process works.

Wonderful book in Organizational Behavior, this book has everything from leadership, motivation, negotiation, stress, and etc. This is a must have for anyone who deals with people or in a managemen role.

Thank you for sending this book quickly. I am a student and with its arrival I was able to get some much needed homework done. Thank you.

Introduces the essentials of organizational behavior with strong managerial theme. Section I covers organizational behavior and management, the new workplace, and the global economy. Other sections focus on: individuals, groups, processes, organizational goals and structure, design, culture, change and development. The section on motivation includes a good integrated model, that integrates several theories. This text provides a solid grounding in the subject. Includes notes and glossary.

If you teach this subject, or are a self-directed doing-it-on-your-own student, check out this text. Recommended. Reviewed by Gerry Stern, author of Stern's SourceFinder: The Master Directory to HR and Business Information and Resources, Stern's CyberSpace SourceFinder and founder, HRconsultant.com Management InfoCenter

Many fundraising books show you the mechanics of fundraising. Ms. Sprinkel does that, but more importantly, she shows the reader how to approach fundraising with the proper mindset. Gone it the "tin cup" mentality. Instead, she advocates that we approach fundraising with an investment mindset.

Having set the stage with her philosophical approach to fundraising, Ms. Grace proceeds to walk the reader through the different stages of fundraising, including annual and capital campaigns.

I used the information in this book to assist the development team at my children's school with a capital campaign. We trained a number of people in the art of fundraising and went on to raise the money needed for a new building. While I won't give Ms. Grace all the credit, I can say with confidence that the advice she dispenses in clearly written and very effective.

This book provides non-profit executives with a very practical approach to making their organizations more successful financially and more relevant to their audiences. I have advised many non-profits on a range of issues, and I am envious of Grace's admonition to "put away the tin cup." That's one of the truest, most important things that today's non-profit leaders could hear.

Many fundraising books show you the mechanics of fundraising. Ms. Sprinkel does that, but more importantly, she shows the reader how to approach fundraising with the proper mindset. Gone is the "tin cup" mentality. Instead, she advocates that we approach fundraising with an investment mindset.

Having set the stage with her philosophical approach to fundraising, Ms. Grace proceeds to walk the reader through the different stages of fundraising, including annual and capital campaigns.

I used the information in this book to assist the development team at my children's school with a capital campaign. We trained a number of people in the art of fundraising and went on to raise the money needed for a new building. While I won't give Ms. Grace all the credit, I can say with confidence that the advice she dispenses is clearly written and very effective.

Defining the difference between fund-raising and donor development was an eye-opener. In a non-profit world that is increasingly competitive for the donor dollar, Ms. Grace offers a powerfully different approach. Of particular interest was reference to values-based mission statements. Something from which every fund-raising organization can learn

This is one of the best books I have read. It contains a wealth of advertising wisdom. Bill Bernbach is perhaps the best advertising man the industry has had.

The greatest copywriter/ad-man of all time figured it out for the rest of us. Tell the truth, make it interesting, and say it a different way. No other book tells the story as well as this one does. This is the book to have in your library. When you get your copy, hold onto it for dear livelihood.

What are you doing in advertising if you haven't read it yet

This book is of utmost necessity and reference for anyone in the advertising business. It is out of print and hard to find, just like the good ideas it contains. Original, funny, intelligent. Bill Bernbach made a career for a reason !

Few Asian companies have been successful in developing international brands. It is now a sophisticated process that puts together and sustains a complex mixture of local and international attributes and values , something that is tangible.Its interesting how Temporal have chosen the different products ( over 20 )from leading Asian and Western brands to show good examples of how companies have used the fundamentals of branding to achieve global success. He has provided illustrative examples, techniques , exercises and invaluable advice for any company in Asia regardless of size that strives for more than being just another local household name.

Asian market is unique with their traditional cultural. Brands should be though for leading in this area. This book must be read for the company who : - want to build a strong image - want a competitive advantage - struggle in asian market

One of the ways to achieve sustainable growth in any market is a recognisable brand name. While many Western companies have successfully developed international brands, Asian companies have been slow to follow suit. How is it that Asia, a region that has such high brand appreciation, produces so few international brands of its own?

In this groundbreaking book, Asia's leading brand architect addresses this unusual situation, explains the fundamentals of branding and shows how companies can use them to achieve outstanding performance. Containing over 20 case studies of leading Asian and Western brands, this book is packed with illustrative examples, advice and exercises.

Branding in Asia is an invaluable book that is a must for anyone responsible for business growth in the 21st century.

Dr Paul Temporal is Asia's leading expert on brand creation, development and management, having lived in the region for over 14 years. He has worked with leading companies and governments, and is well known his results-oriented and hands-on approach. He is the author of Corporate Charisma.

My expectations were mainly about redressing the balance on geographical origins of brand case studies. Our literature suffers from being far too US centric. This imbalance is unfortunate for several reasons including: - living in the US for the last 2 years has taught me how atypical the US consumer is of any other I have met in 25 countries that I have worked - from the oldest brand models (which assumed brands were advertising led) to the newest ebrand models, there's huge share of voice reflecting the culture of corporate America and the case theories of its business schools. These powerful systems shouldn't be unquestioningly exported as being de facto paradigms for local organisational excellence or social value.

My expectations were exceeded because this book - unlike most on the brand which start with chapters on advertising and marketing communications - opens up from the very beginning on the leadership importance of branding. Here we are on pages 1-2: "Strong brands endure many challenges. This is becoming increasingly relevant in an era of unprecedented change, upheaval and uncertainty. This change is strategic, unlike the incremental change of more predictable times, and therefore requires a strategic response. Brand building is exactly such a response. If successful, it can be the strongest weapon in a company's armory and the best guarantee of corporate survival. The challenge that lies ahead is that of change management.

And by page 4, we're invited to join in a cataloguing of worldwide changes to marketing: -the breakdown of market boundaries -globalization and the development of global brands -increasing market fragmentation -product diversity and shorter life cycles -greater customer sophistication -digital business -economic instability and market volatility

So this book flies, and yet at the same time when you read it you will continually pick up useful advice whether your brain is looking for practical or academic stimulation. For example, the book closes with an appendix of very worthwhile brand exercises, and it resonates with case studies, 24 in all. Each case study ends with a summary of that brand's strengths.

This book will be good for you whether this is the first one you read on branding, or as in my case the twenty first, including two of my own. For example, I learnt a lot from Temporal's consistently strong advice on brand values and the way they shape corporate personality on its outside and inside.

Taken together, the book demionstrates how leading companies are ceasing to be collections of physical capital (Adam Smith's land, labor, and capital), and becoming mental constructs that represent the characteristics of human beings: brands can be trustworthy or not, creative or stable, leading-edge or traditional, conservative or liberal, male or female, and so on. Companies and their brands become complexes of embodied characteristics, as complex as any individual. These qualities become the promise the brand makes to the consumer. As long as the brand lives up to the promise, customers are retained, and so are profits. But if the company violates its brand promises, it betrays its customers and begins to lose them. This book comes at this from many directions, and lacks a clear comprehensive approach, but it is a fascinating sampler.

This anthology, edited by Rita Clifton and John Simmons with Sameena Ahmad, contains an abundance of information about branding. In fact, with 17 contributors, different experts repeat the same information more than once, further emphasizing and validating these points. For example, several contributors note the social value of brands; later, an entire chapter covers the same topic. Some sections delve into the material more deeply than others, but much of it is sophisticated enough to appeal to the most dedicated brand specialist. The book includes discussions of branding esoterica such as the distinction between verbal and visual identities, and the role of brands in a global marketplace. Despite the repetition and the inclusion of some dated studies, we brand this book as an important one for anyone concerned with branding, especially with its new role as a source of financial value.

This book offers a variety of perspectives on brands and branding from several dozen different experts on marketing. I especially enjoyed reading it because most of these experts draw upon experiences outside of the United States. True, core concepts have global relevance but strategies and tactics to create, increase, and leverage brand equity necessarily vary from one marketplace to another. For example, Sameena Ahmad discusses "Globalisation and brands" (Chapter 11), Kim Faulkner examines "Branding in South-East Asia" (Chapter 13), and Simon Anholt offers some valuable insights concerning "Branding places and nations" (Chapter 14). As Patrick Barwise correctly notes in the Preface, if top managers are becoming brand stewards, they must address issues such as:

* Brand measurement, accountability, and understanding
* Brand support
* The brand owner's social and ethical stance
* Making the experience of buying and using brand consistently deliver on the promises made for it

Re this last issue, there is often a substantial gap between promises and performance, especially insofar as service brands are concerned. Hence the importance of eliminating that gap and thereby earn and then sustain consumer trust through performance of the highest possible quality. Once again I am reminded of Warren Buffett's observation that price is what we charge for what we sell but value is what a customer thinks it's worth. The experts whose counsel is included in this volume can, together, help their shared reader to gain a better understanding of issues such as those cited previously as well as (in Barwise's words) "the social and financial value of brands, current best practice in branding, and some of the emerging issues around this important, complex, and ever fascinating topic."

Among the countless value-added benefits provided in this book are various checklists which are included within several of the individual essays. For example, those which suggest the financial uses of brand valuation (page 43), methodologies for brand positioning (page 81), conclusions which can be made about visual and verbal identity and their relationship to brands in the future (pages 125-126), and questions to be addressed insofar as brand protection is concerned (page 168) as well as a recap of the main themes and arguments previously provided in previous chapters (pages 227-229). Of course, it remains for each reader to determine the nature and extent of relevance of the book's 15 chapters. There are many outstanding books on the subject of brands and branding and this is one of the best.

Those who share my high regard for it are urged to check out Levitt's The Marketing Imagination, Paul Nunes and Brian Johnson's Mass Affluence: Seven New Rules of Marketing to Today's Consumer, Alina Wheeler's Designing Brand Identity: A Complete Guide to Creating, Building, and Maintaining Strong Brands, Harvard Business Review on Brand Management (The Harvard Business Review Paperback Series), Marc Gobe's Emotional Branding: The New Paradigm for Connecting Brands to People, Lynn Parker and F. Joseph Lepla's Integrated Branding: Becoming Brand-Driven Through Company-Wide Action, Simon Anholt's Brand New Justice: The Upside of Global Branding, and Matthew W. Ragas and B.J. Bueno's The Power of Cult Branding: How 9 Magnetic Brands Turned Customers Into Loyal Followers (and Yours Can, Too).

This volume greatly benefits from many different perspectives and authors in tightly written essays that focus on brands, brand management and the future of brands.

Part one examines the definition of what a brand is, the history of brands and the social and economic importance of brands. Many will be intrigued to see that there are now methodologies for valuing brands independently of the operations of the companies that own them. For many public companies, the operating value is relatively slight without the brand values. There are a number of mini cases involving the world's most valuable brands (such as Coca-Cola and McDonald's). This background will be especially relevant to the general reader and for students new to the subject.

Part two looks at brand development and management in detail. This section will be very valuable to those who have not had much experience with brands.

Part three looks at the future of brands. I found this section to be the most interesting as the book looked at issues like the global debate about whether brands "steal" from poor consumers and workers in developing countries, the rise of Asian brands, country branding, adding social agendas to brands and protecting brands from counterfeiters worldwide.

The essays are nicely summarized in Rita Clifton's concluding essay, "The Future of Brands."

Each essay contains many references that can allow those who wish to learn more the pathway to take such steps.

I was pleased to see that the essays did not simply espouse the traditional wisdom on brands, but chose to "push the envelope" to provide more up-to-date and aggressive thinking.

I have a hard time imagining that you could find a better introduction to the subject in such a slim volume.