The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference

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For example, Paul Revere was able to galvanize the forces of resistance so effectively in part because he was what Gladwell calls a "Connector": he knew just about everybody, particularly the revolutionary leaders in each of the towns that he rode through. But Revere "wasn't just the man with the biggest Rolodex in colonial Boston," he was also a "Maven" who gathered extensive information about the British. He knew what was going on and he knew exactly whom to tell. The phenomenon continues to this day--think of how often you've received information in an e-mail message that had been forwarded at least half a dozen times before reaching you.

Gladwell develops these and other concepts (such as the "stickiness" of ideas or the effect of population size on information dispersal) through simple, clear explanations and entertainingly illustrative anecdotes, such as comparing the pedagogical methods of Sesame Street and Blue's Clues, or explaining why it would be even easier to play Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon with the actor Rod Steiger. Although some readers may find the transitional passages between chapters hold their hands a little too tightly, and Gladwell's closing invocation of the possibilities of social engineering sketchy, even chilling, The Tipping Point is one of the most effective books on science for a general audience in ages. It seems inevitable that "tipping point," like "future shock" or "chaos theory," will soon become one of those ideas that everybody knows--or at least knows by name. --Ron Hogan

Book Description

"The best way to understand the dramatic transformation of unknown books into bestsellers, or the rise of teenage smoking, or the phenomena of word of mouth or any number of the other mysterious changes that mark everyday life," writes Malcolm Gladwell, "is to think of them as epidemics. Ideas and products and messages and behaviors spread just like viruses do." Although anyone familiar with the theory of memetics will recognize this concept, Gladwell's The Tipping Point has quite a few interesting twists on the subject.For example, Paul Revere was able to galvanize the forces of resistance so effectively in part because he was what Gladwell calls a "Connector": he knew just about everybody, particularly the revolutionary leaders in each of the towns that he rode through. But Revere "wasn't just the man with the biggest Rolodex in colonial Boston," he was also a "Maven" who gathered extensive information about the British. He knew what was going on and he knew exactly whom to tell. The phenomenon continues to this day--think of how often you've received information in an e-mail message that had been forwarded at least half a dozen times before reaching you.Gladwell develops these and other concepts (such as the "stickiness" of ideas or the effect of population size on information dispersal) through simple, clear explanations and entertainingly illustrative anecdotes, such as comparing the pedagogical methods of Sesame Street and Blue's Clues, or explaining why it would be even easier to play Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon with the actor Rod Steiger. Although some readers may find the transitional passages between chapters hold their hands a little too tightly, and Gladwell's closing invocation of the possibilities of social engineering sketchy, even chilling, The Tipping Point is one of the most effective books on science for a general audience in ages. It seems inevitable that "tipping point," like "future shock" or "chaos theory," will soon become one of those ideas that everybody knows--or at least knows by name. --Ron Hogan

Customer Reviews:

Behavior Patterns, Stickiness?.......2007-10-23

This is an interesting study of behavior patterns. The author gives the reader plenty of statistics without the usual dryness. The first example about the hush puppies was odd & overblown. But, the example of why we remember Paul revere instead of William Dawes was logical enough, the former simply knew far more people. The author has a fine ability to draw a connection{James Burke like} between things that appear totally different & yet they intersect. The focus of the book is that there are three points that converge to bring about big changes in society. They are the idea, the folks involved, & the situational environment when it reaches a "tipping point." He classifies these people into three groups, connectors, mavens, & salespeople. The former are the most curious & adaptable. The second are those who desire & have knowledge, while wishing to help others. The latter is obvious, salespeople are great persuaders. Without them we would not have an economy. When these three groups combine their talents societies can change for the better. I think his best point was in the crucial importance of gathering "empirical data about ideas, rather than relying on assumptions & theories." A very different sort of read, that I don't hesitate to recommend.

Easy read.......2007-10-23

I really enjoyed this book, it is a unique and valuable read for anyone who wants a different point of view of the everyday things that we do that can end up making a big difference. I found this easy to read, the stories within are entertaining and captivating. I am also reading BLINK, Gladwell's other book. They are both really fun to read and encourage you to get involved with some creative thinking about the world, how it works and how we work in it. I highly recommend both of them.

Critical Phase Transition.......2007-10-23

The phenomenon is the same everywhere in nature. A critical phase transition looks the same, whether it is an outbreak that becomes an epidemic, a stock that becomes the next Google, or a symbolic act that unleashes a cultural transformation. There is always a highly turbulent period and then a point of bifurcation . . . and then the shift. Mavens, connectors, salesmen . . . these are the word of mouthers that create the critical mass. These are the people to influence. This book really lit a fire in my mind.

also read Superperformance

BLAH BLAH BLAH.......2007-10-20

boring book, and many of the example he uses to prove this theory dont do that. For every example that seemed to make sense, there was another he used that didn't.

Not a good book.......2007-10-18

This is not a good book. The author tries to make the book longer by talking about the same simple idea again and again. Just search on Google and you will get all the ideas in the book. I am not recommending anyone to buy this book.

Average customer rating:

Great Transaction!

Consumer Behavior: In Fashion
Michael R. Solomon , and Nancy J. Rabolt
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ASIN: 013081122X

Customer Reviews:

Great Transaction!.......2005-09-17

the book was in good condition and shipped quickly! thanks for a great experiance!

Let Them Eat Cake: Marketing Luxury to the Masses - As well as the Classes

Average customer rating:

Very Organized, Great Ideas!
Very disappointing
More than a simple "marketing" book...very impressed!
Thorough and Well Organized
WalMart Owns the Bottom Market, Move Upscale

Let Them Eat Cake: Marketing Luxury to the Masses - As well as the Classes
Pamela Danziger
Manufacturer: Kaplan Business
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Why People Buy Things They Don't Need: Understanding and Predicting Consumer Behavior
Mass Affluence: Seven New Rules of Marketing to Today's Consumer
Trading Up: The New American Luxury
Living It Up : America's Love Affair with Luxury
Priceless: Turning Ordinary Products into Extraordinary Experiences

ASIN: 0793193079
Release Date: 2005-01-01

Book Description

This book shows marketing professionals how to position their products to take advantage of the $77.7 billion luxury market.

In &I, readers will get the first research-based study of the 15 million truly affluent households that make up the leading edge of the new luxury market. Pamela Danziger notes that the luxury market is changing radically from the conspicuous-consumption consumers of the 1990s. Danziger conducted a two-year research study of luxury consumers with incomes of $75,000 and above and discovered a totally new type of luxury consumer. Called the ""butterflies,"" these most affluent of affluent consumers have emerged from their luxurious cocoons and are turning their focus from the home to the outside world.

Designed to give marketing practitioners an insight into what luxury means to the consumer, &I covers the natural evolution as today's luxuries become tomorrow's necessities, as products move ""from the classes to the masses.""

Readers will learn:

* How to ""get it right for the masses"" and how to ""get it right for the classes"" with profiles of companies that exhibit best practices in luxury marketing.

* Why luxury isn't about material things or how much something costs. It is how the product or service connects with the dreams, desires, and passions of the consumer.

* The different drivers and motivators for luxury consumers.

Danziger outlines the purchase behavior and preferences in the nine categories of home luxury products (e.g., furniture, art, antiques), four personal luxuries (e.g., automobiles, fashion), and six experiential luxuries (e.g., luxury travel, spa/beauty treatments). As businesses compete in an increasingly crowded marketplace, Danziger also describes the six key consumer trends in luxury marketing and strategies that marketers can implement to build their luxury brands.

Customer Reviews:

Very Organized, Great Ideas! .......2007-07-17

This book was full of interesting and thoughtful info. I was quite impressed. It is a great compliment to Vondre and Andreaetta at Sell Cakes Like Crazy on the internet!

Very disappointing.......2006-07-24

This is one of the two books that I purchased about luxury products, the other being Trading Up. After seeing the recommendations on this book I thought it would be an insightful read, instead it regurgitates the form and data of "Trading Up." The author also makes note of the book.

I was dissapointed by this book and the way it was written. The author presents a deluge of data and consumer opinions. There are numerous charts that present surveys and polls but the book fails to extrapolate on the data. In numerous occasions, references to specific years in which a certan luxury good had higher growth or lower growth are cited but the author failed to site why and if this trend would continue. It also fails to describe why luxury goods companies have done so well. Only a brief page or two is written about a company and it's products but fails to establish what drives demand for luxury goods.

The book scratches the surface of the psychological buying factors for luxury goods, other than for the "experience." For a much better read, read Trading Up.

More than a simple "marketing" book...very impressed!.......2006-02-22

According to this author, it can be tougher than ever to sell luzury goods to the American consumer. In the past, factors like snob appeal and appeals to class and "taste" were enough to get people to buy certain items. They wanted to appear to be "in the know" or to be like certain people who were.
These days, it is much harder to get people to buy luxury items, to drop the bucks and make the purchase seem worth the price. The difference between the past and the present? Creating a total and even MEANINGFUL experience, convincing the buyer that purchasing a particular item or experience will enhance his or her life. They might even want to feel that spending a zillion bucks is a PRACTICAL decision.
The author not only explains why buyers purchase luxury items today but will show you how to go about convincing them to buy YOUR items. If you aren't in the business of selling luxury items, you'll still find this a fascinating read - as it shows you WHY you might fall prey to the appeal of certain "luxury" goods, for better or worse.

Thorough and Well Organized.......2005-11-14

In this book, the author gives a thorough analysis on the contemporary U.S. luxury market and presents principles to the marketers who would like to capture this market successfully.

In the first two chapters of the book, the author defines today's luxury market and the term "new luxury." In short, new luxury is more about experience than about money or expensive things, although such an experience cannot be obtained without money. As Americans, especially the baby boomers, have more disposable income to spend, what they crave is the experience of self-actualization and expression of individuality. This is different from the old snobbish and arrogant concept of luxury, which emphasizes exclusivity. For example, having some quietness for taking a cup of good coffee while enjoying the view of the city is counted as a luxurious event by some people.

In chapter three, the author defines the consumers in this luxury market with basic demographic information. In subsequent chapters, discussion continues along the four traditional Ps in Marketing: Product (what different luxury consumer groups buy and why), Price, Promotion, and Place (where they shop). One interesting finding is the fact that, these shoppers are frugal and they are bargain hunters. They buy everything on sale unless sales are not common in a category, such as fragrances and beauty products. They do not need to shop this way but do so because they are wise and value-conscious.

Then the author's writing turns to the marketers with important advice derived from the nature of this market, distinguishing the myths from the facts. The last chapter is a summary of the book.

The contents of this book are based on empirical research performed by the author and her colleagues. In addition,
it includes the personal opinions of many people doing business in the luxury market. These interview excerpts add valuable practical information to the book and enhance the validity of the contents. The writing style of the author is clear and easy to understand.

I see this book as another step beyond Trading Up. It gives an even more focused treatment to this social trend of consumer spending. The title of the book, Let Them Eat Cake, is derived from the author's statement "Let your consumers go to Wal-Mart to get their plain white bread, but when they come to you, `let them eat cake here!'"

WalMart Owns the Bottom Market, Move Upscale.......2005-01-28

The up-scale market is where you almost have to go in face of WalMart. It's also where the money is. The affluent consumers have incomes two-and-one half times larger than the average and their households spend twice as much on all kinds of consumer goods and services. This book, based on original research conducted by the author defines exactly this consumer, how to market to them, and how this market has changed as the Baby Boomers have evolved into this segment. The research was conducted on the top 25% of US households with an income of over $75,000.

The author is a nationally recognized expert specializing in consumer insights and president of Unity Marketing, a marketing consulting firm she founded in 1992.

Just Ask a Woman: Cracking the Code of What Women Want and How They Buy

Average customer rating:

Not about the average femal consumer
A Good Reminder
La femme est l'avenir de l'homme!
Packed with Knowledge!
No man bashing here

Just Ask a Woman: Cracking the Code of What Women Want and How They Buy
Mary Lou Quinlan
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0471369209

Book Description

An enlightening blueprint of the secrets of reaching female consumers from the expert

Just Ask a Woman is a powerful book about how to tap into female consumers' needs. Mary Quinlan, the founder of the premiere consultancy dedicated to marketing to women, has personally interviewed 3,000 women in the course of her research for Just Ask a Woman. Women are the decision-makers in an estimated eighty-five percent of household buying decisions, and yet far too often, products marketed specifically to them fail to connect with their needs. Here, Quinlan explores topics such as how women judge brands and advertising, how they make decisions, the effects of stress on their consumer behavior, and their increasing demands for service and communication. Quinlan rejects the traditional focus group approach in favor of highly energized and intimate talk sessions where women reveal their deeper feelings about products and services. In Just Ask a Woman marketers, brand managers, and advertisers will find a revelatory resource filled with ideas and action steps for building your brand with women-from a woman who has walked in a marketer's shoes.

Mary Lou Quinlan (New York, NY) is the founder and CEO of Just Ask a Woman, a marketing consultancy dedicated to building business with women. Just Ask a Woman is a division of bcom3, a $15 billion global communications firm whose clients include Citigroup/Women & Co., Lifetime, Saks, Hearst Magazines, Toys "R" Us, and Time Inc. Known as a brand-turnaround expert, she has helped to remake brands like Avon and Continental Airlines. Quinlan has been quoted in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Fast Company and Advertising Age and appeared on ABC, CNN, CNBC, Lifetime LIVE, Fox and nationally syndicated news shows. Her articles have been published in Marie Claire, Good Housekeeping, Redbook, and More, among others.

Customer Reviews:

Not about the average femal consumer.......2006-10-31

You could sum up this book in a few words. "Women are stressed out and seek products or services that ease their stressed out lives. Women play many diffrent roles: the mother, sister, good wife, working woman, friend. Women are diffrent from men."
However, this could be a good business/marketing book but it is not. First of all, the author feels a need to always mention her company's name and feels a need to prove herself all the time by saying "that she has been a ceo" etc (talk about low selfesteem).
Secondly, this is not a book about the global woman, the average english or swedish woman, it is about the all american "ricky lake" woman that really doesnt know a thing about other countries or cultures. If you are marketing to this particular segment, the all american middle class woman then this book might come in handy.
Beware, this book is not about the average female consumer. And the some 220pages could easily have fitted in to 20 pages. The author has just expanded a few points with alot of TALK. This book does not deserve more than 2 stars and this is from a guy that has some 300-400 business books on his bookshelf.

A Good Reminder.......2005-04-03

For most marketing professionals - or any human being that has one or more woman in his/her life - Mary Lou's book doesn't present any dramatically new information. What it does, however, (and does nicely) is clearly remind the reader that many females share some common attributes: they want to be heard, they suffer self-induced stress in addition to work & family induced stress, they put others first, they crave comfort, etc. Being a woman, I could relate with everything printed in the book; being a marketer, I know it is easy to "forget" these very simple truisms when it's time to market to women. Mary Lou's writing is clear and straightforward - a good read for any business person looking to effectively tap into the large female buying population, or any man, really, looking to improve his female relationships :)

La femme est l'avenir de l'homme!.......2004-12-04

Translated, this sentence written by Aragon means: "Women are the future of mankind".
Indeed, you might say that women are the future of any commercial company. They purchase (or share equally in the purchase decisions) of about 83% of all consumer products. For example they purchase 74% of all cars, 66% of all home PCs!
This book brilliantly explains what it takes to successfully market products to women. (It was an invaluable source preparing my own book about women and job hunting). I can highly recommend it. The main strength of the book is that every single point Mary Lou Quinlan makes has been carefully researched through focus groups and discussions with a very large number of women. This is first-hand authentic stuff! Read it and your ideas on how to be successful while marketing consumer products in the 21th century will definately gain a new perspective.
David Veenhuys
http://www.davidveenhuys.com

Packed with Knowledge!.......2003-10-15

Mary Lou Quinlan interviewed 3,000 women consumers about their desires and buying habits. When you finish her book, you will actually be able to answer the question, "What do women want?" Quinlan's style is direct and personable. She backs up her arguments with quotes from successful CEOs and marketers and with a smattering of do's and don'ts from the world of advertising. The book has heart - after all, Quinlan maintains that for women, business is personal - as well as practical advice, although you may have to dig for it. She provides a lot of information on broad thematic lines, sometimes making it tricky to sort out strategies from stories. This is less of a textbook than Marketing to Women (by Martha Barletta from Dearborn Trade Publishing); it is more research-based and extends beyond communications into comparable hands-on, practical counsel. We suggest this wakeup call about the buying power of women to professionals in marketing, advertising, sales and customer service. Use this primer to decode those mixed signals you've been getting from women in your marketplace - and in your life.

No man bashing here.......2003-10-13

As a brand manager for a consumer products company and as a man, I recommend this book for marketers who want to succeed with their most important customers - women. The tone of the book doesn't have any layer of man bashing instead the author really just tells the truth about women today. The excerpts from her research with women were so revealing and honest and I could hear the women in my own life saying the same things. Now I understand how to translate that to strategy for growing my business. A must buy for marketers.

How Customers Think: Essential Insights into the Mind of the Market

Average customer rating:

Worst book Ever
Where was the editor?
Great Insights into the Mind of the Consumer
Brand, Emotion , Listening , Usefulness
Does not deliver ...

How Customers Think: Essential Insights into the Mind of the Market
Gerald Zaltman
Manufacturer: Harvard Business School Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1578518261

Book Description

How to unlock the hidden 95% of the customer’s mind that traditional marketing methods have never reached.

Selling Points Practical synthesis of the cognitive sciences: Drawing heavily on psychology, neuroscience, sociology, and linguistics, Zaltman combines academic rigor with real-world results to offer highly accessible insights, based on his years of research and consulting work with large clients like Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble. An all-new tool kit: Zaltman provides research tools—metaphor elicitation, response latency, and implicit association techniques, to name a few—that will be all-new to marketers and demonstrates how innovators can use these tools to get clues from the subconscious when developing new products and finding new solutions, long before competitors do.

Customer Reviews:

Worst book Ever.......2007-08-10

I dont know if this is a marketing book!!

Too much text for less benefits

Ideas are not integrated with each other specially when connecting science with Marketing

Not too many marketing examples.

Even the examples did not show what where the exact results of the specified theories conducted

At the end of the book he fills it with text about creativity, oh please!!! this is supposed to be a book about marketing and how I am supposed understand customers not how to be creative

One more thing, he argues that products are how they are perceived in the mind of the customer and not what the products are in reality. Well, this is a very old idea, maybe the writer should read books for Al Ries and Jack Trout about Positioning.

Where was the editor?.......2007-07-13

The title holds much promise. The introduction intriguing. Yet as I trudged through this tomb, it finally dawned on me that there is much less here than the first glance promises. Two major problems: 1. The author puts forth a rather simple, yet vague theory of unconscious thinking, then discusses at length the utility of metaphors, but nowhere is the connection made between the two concepts. What is unconscious thinking that metaphors can magically make visible? What proof is there of any connection? This slight of hand left me shaking my head. Where is the model? Where is the empirical evidence? 2. The writing is at times entertaining, but beyond the introduction it is more and more rambling, redundant and scattered. It appears no technical editor was allowed anywhere near this manuscript. bottom line, I know no more about how customers think after reading this book, than I did before. However, I do now know how bad focus groups are (even though the empirical data appears absent.)

Great Insights into the Mind of the Consumer.......2007-05-20

This is perhaps the best text I've read on understanding the mind of the consumer. Zaltman takes potentially complex information and presents it in a form that is relatively easy to digest.

Zaltman explains how new brain science research indicates that the confidence marketers have placed in focus group methodology has been based on a number false assumptions including the following: 1. Consumers think in well-reason, linear ways to evaluate products and services. 2. Consumers can reasonably explain their emotions, feeling, preferences and behaviors - and translate them into words; and 3. Consumers' memories are accurate reflections of their experience.

According to Zaltman, the reality for consumers is really quite different. We live in a world where culture, emotions and desires play a larger role than logical decision-making. We receive and interpret information from the marketplace within a unique context. And, as consumers, much of our thinking takes place on a subconscious level, making it difficult for focus group participants to explain their behaviors. Our memories of what led us to make specific choices are far from perfect. On a conscious level we typically rationalize our decision-making without giving the underlying contextual complexities for our product and service choices.

In summary, Zaltman's text is a great place to learn more about current thinking on the mind of the consumer, the limits of traditional focus groups and some reliable methods for tapping into consumer insights.

Brand, Emotion , Listening , Usefulness.......2007-04-04

1. Rohit Deshpade noted that over 80 percent of all market research serves mainly to reinforce existing conclusions, not to test or develop new possibilities. Managers act as if endorsing current views merits 80 percent of their resources.
2. Recent studies of the effects of brain lesions demonstrate that when neurological structures responsible for either emotion or reasoning sustain damage, the affected individuals lose their ability to make the kinds of sound decisions permitting a normal life.
3. The operation of our memory and emotions occurs below our threshold of awareness. Why do people purchase expensive things? One answer reveals an important feeling relating to self-esteem. Once realized the company strengthens its relationships with the purchasing agents by acknowledging the feeling most closely related to self-esteem during sales calls.
4. The Western view of the mind states the mind does not exist absence the brain, body, and society.
5. Emotion allows the mind to reorganize, innovate, and produce something better and more useful. Memories are metaphors. People generally do not think in words, they think in metaphors. Metaphors help the individual to perceive the world, help to see new connections, and draw meaning from experiences. Without imagination nothing in the world would be meaningful. Without imagination we could not interpret our experiences. Without imagination we could not reason toward knowledge of reality.
6. When customers are exposed to product concepts, company stories, or brand information, they don't passively absorb those messages. Instead, they create their own meaning by mixing information from the company with their own memories, other stimuli present at the moment, and the metaphors that come to mind as they think about the firm's message.
7. Poor quality thinking cannibalizes high-quality thinking. Quality thinking takes time. True understanding takes time.
8. Many consumers view their clothing as a personal container or an extension of the self.
9. Largely ignored, are the Emotional benefits of the product or service. The goal is insightful consumer analysis feed by understanding how consumer mental activity occurs.
10. The more skilled marketers are in listening to customers, the more effective their marketing strategies will be establishing the value of the firm's offerings
11. The more clearly current and potential customers understand the value of the firm's offerings, the larger the top line will be.
12. Skillful listening tells the management team how large a challenge they face, especially in terms of meeting latent needs.
13. Michael Tomasello, states that cognitive skills have been learned fast because of social and cultural transmission.
14. When we encounter new ideas through verbal communication, they root themselves within a preexisting system that gives them relevance. Different cultures emphasize different thoughts.
15. 80 percent of communication occurs non-verbally.
16. Joseph Turner, reason and emotion are not opposites; they are partners who occasionally disagree but depend on one another for success
17. Logical thoughts are much easier to articulate than emotions.
18. Managers who deeply understand their consumers may accurately anticipate their responses to a new product before the firm presents it.
19. Unconsciously a buyer believes that the national brand works better and is therefore better for loved ones (severe sympthoms, self or spouse or child)
20. Fast stimulus to messages occurs when the message is flashed subliminally.
21. People perceive messages transmitted by a baby-faced person as more sincere because they see babies as innocent and honest.
22. The exact same dinner tastes different depending on whether one is dining with a close friend or an unpleasant stranger.
23. The correlation between stated intent and actual behavior is low. 12 percent of the time, customers actually purchases items that they verbal indicated that they would purchase.
24. Customer predispositions create feelings and thoughts toward the brand and unconsciously influence their reaction to the brand.

Does not deliver ..........2007-03-14

In one way I enjoyed reading the book as it pulled together various studies and experiments related to aspects of cognitive psychology and the use of some techniques (e.g. metaphors), but in the end the book simply does not deliver on the title.

For me, the failure of the book is that it does not propose any coherent, overall model of "How Customers Think" (or more importantly ... how purchase decisions are sub-consciously arrived at), just simply some interesting observations on different aspects of thought with little or not integration. I suspect that most people would read the book and think "interesting ... but what the heck do I do now?"

I'm waiting for a better book on the subject to come along ...

The Secret Sales Pitch: An Overview of Subliminal Advertising

Average customer rating:

An excellent read, something you won't forget in a hurry..
Very thought provoking
A Phenominal Epic Masterpiece of a Book
A Life Changing Book
former advertising creative director

The Secret Sales Pitch: An Overview of Subliminal Advertising
August Bullock
Manufacturer: Norwich Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0974264008

Book Description

-A fascinating look at how media manipulates the mind; -A handbook for marketing, psychology, sociology, and related classes; -A "how to manual" for artists, advertisers, and business people interested in subliminal techniques.

The Secret Sales Pitch argues that, since the 1950s, optical illusions have been secretly embedded in mass media in order to manipulate the public unconsciously. These subliminal images are extremely provocative, and involve nightmarish monsters as well as many forms of erotica. In addition, pictures with subliminal meanings understood only on an unconscious level have secretly aroused viewers' innermost fears and fantasies.

The author is an attorney who presents the evidence of subliminal advertising as though he were addressing a jury. Although the claims on the cover may initially seem outlandish, the case that is presented is credible and disturbing. The examples that are provided are startling, and intelligently correlated to studies gleaned from psychological journals. The history of subliminal persuasion, from Vance Packard to the present, is thoughtfully reviewed. N.F. Dixon, a respected psychologist and the author of a treatise on subliminal perception, has endorsed Bullock's work and commented that his interpretations are "convincing and ingenious."

The back cover promises "You will never watch a commercial, make a sales presentation, or look in the mirror the same way again." Even skeptical readers will not be disappointed.

Customer Reviews:

An excellent read, something you won't forget in a hurry.. .......2005-03-21

I'm a graphic designer, with a special interest in the power of subliminal advertising. Having recently compiled a written paper on this subject, Bullock's 'The Secret Sales Pitch' was immensely helpful. Bullock has mananged to summarise complex theory into easy-to-read chapters, that would be perfect for those studying the subject or would be interested in learning about this facinating area.

Subliminal examples are clearly identified and supported with full colour images, making points easily recognisable to the reader. Bullock's style of writing is accurate yet humorous at times, personalising his own experiences. He has also included possible experiments that the reader can test out for themselves. I did just that, and the results were incredibly revealing.

If you thought you understood the hidden arts of subliminal persuasion, this book is bound to teach you something new and will ultimately broaden your perceptions of advertising in today's society. A must-have in anyone's book collection.

Very thought provoking.......2005-03-17

This book really goes into great study lenghs to give you an overview of what has gone on in the past and may be going on today.

At the very least it is eye opening and kind of makes you think about what we see in advertising from a different prospective.

I am excited to think we can change our future through sublimial messages. Still I can see that is very much up for debate.

Great reading on a fasinating subject.

A Phenominal Epic Masterpiece of a Book.......2005-03-05

"The Secret Sales Pitch" is a marvelous book, as well as a labor of love, which seems to have been years in the making. It is an indispensible resource in the field of subliminal messages. The book is extremely enjoyable, with a number of easy to understand examples and a free-and-easy, insightful, witty manner of speech. However, it never strays from tackling a serious subject that can affect everyone everyday. Kudos to Bullock for making this book available to the public.

A Life Changing Book.......2005-03-05

I highly recommend this book.
It is well written and the superb photographs and illustrations make the concepts easier to understand.
August Bullock takes this "already done" information (that the former author Key put out long ago) to the next level.
He uses a scientific approach to this often misunderstood subject. He is able to make complex subjects easy to understand.
This is a life changing book.

former advertising creative director.......2005-01-13

Having worked at a dozen New York ad agencies - some tiny, some huge - I can assure you that the people who create ads have no interest in employing "subliminal selling techniques". There are three reasons for this. One: there's no such thing as a "subliminal selling technique", at least not within the ad industry; two: anyone who suggested using a subliminal technique would be accused of being on serious drugs; and, most importantly, three: the people who create ads have no interest is selling products. They want to win awards for "creativity". Because that's what advances careers. It's a cliche in the industry that the client always wants the product shot and the logo bigger, and the ad agency always wants it smaller or, ideally, absent. Just one example: I've seen an ad agency present an ad about the TITANIC to a cruise line. The ad was funny. That's why the agency tried to sell it to the client. But the client, rightfully, was furious. No one contemplating a cruise wants to think about the Titanic. But, as I said, the agency didn't care. Or, at least, those responsible for creating ads didn't care. They were just trying to figure out a way to say "Go on a cruise" without saying "Go on a cruise". Not because saying "Go on a cruise" is not "subliminal" enough. It's just not "clever" enough. And that's how ad creatives justify their salaries.
However, I did look at the web site associated with the book. And the guy in the cigarette ad does look like he's holding a (...). I laughed. It's worth checking out. But, I'm sure it wasn't intentional. It's just like looking at clouds. Look at enough of them, you'll find something. Same with religious images in billboards, or the virgin Mary in the lady's grilled cheese sandwich on ebay.
Oh well. I haven't (...), though. So, maybe there are some good parts. I'm just criticizing the thesis. If I'm wrong (about the thesis, not about the existence of subliminal advertising) sorry for giving it the one star.

Consumer Behavior and Culture: Consequences for Global Marketing and Advertising

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Handbook for global marketers

Consumer Behavior and Culture: Consequences for Global Marketing and Advertising
Marieke K. de Mooij
Manufacturer: Sage Publications, Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Global Marketing and Advertising: Understanding Cultural Paradoxes
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ASIN: 0761926690

Book Description

Click the reviews tab at the left to see reviews of this book

For additional materials, please contact the author directly: www.mariekedemooij.com

"Marieke de Mooij shows that American theories of consumer behavior do not necessarily apply abroad. Her national consumption data are an unobtrusive measure of national cultures. She has made marketing students discover culture, and her work should make cross-cultural psychologists discover the consumer as an informant."

--Geert Hofstede, Institute for Research on Intercultural Cooperation, the Netherlands

Consumers worldwide are not the same, and the differences in consumer behavior between countries are increasing. Because all aspects of consumer behavior are culture-bound, and not subject merely to environmental factors but integrated in all of human behavior, there is an increased need to identify and understand this integration and its impact on global marketing and advertising. Consumer Behavior and Culture: Consequences for Global Marketing and Advertising is the first book to present an empirically based model for integrating culture with consumer behavior.

Consumer Behavior and Culture reviews the myths of global marketing and explores the concept of culture and models of culture. It provides empirical evidence of convergence and divergence in consumer behavior and covers various psychological and sociological aspects of human behavior used for explaining consumer behavior. The book reviews and discusses cultural variations of these aspects across the world.
reviews the myths of global marketing and explores the concept of culture and models of culture. It provides empirical evidence of convergence and divergence in consumer behavior and covers various psychological and sociological aspects of human behavior used for explaining consumer behavior. The book reviews and discusses cultural variations of these aspects across the world.
Key Features:

* A cultural exploration of the various psychological and sociological aspects of human behavior, such as concept of self, personality, group influence, motivation, emotion, perception, and information processing

* A discussion of consumer behavior theories and cultural variations from around the world

* Coverage of a number of consumer behavior domains, including explanations of differences in consumption and ownership, all based on empirical evidence

* In addition to anecdotal evidence, the consequences of branding and marketing communication strategy are presented and analyzed

Perfect for students and practitioners in marketing and advertising, this book is designed to meet the needs of those wishing to view consumer behavior from a global cultural perspective. It is also ideal for those emphasizing the role of minority groups as well as increased multicultural sensitivity in their marketing and advertising strategies.

Customer Reviews:

Handbook for global marketers.......2004-02-09

Consumer Behavior and Culture-Consequences for Global Marketing and Advertising is a handbook for all global marketers and the researches that did the cross cultural research especially in consumer behavior. As the author, Marieke de Mooij is the fellow of Hofstede, in this book therefore, mostly the Hofstede: Five Dimensions of National Culture is fully explained and utilized. De Mooij tried to explain every aspect in consumer behavior by these dimension, especially individualism vs collectivism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance. For marketers, understand these three dimensions can understand the characteristic of the value, lifestyle and even the attitude towards the objects.

This book unlike other consumer behavior textbook, it does not only describe the basic consumer behavior theories and models but also have lots of application and more focus on culture aspects.

De Mooij also provides lots of examples and successful cases to illustrate the concept. And some positioning maps are also used especially the country positioning. She has tried to use the map to illustrate the culture feature in different countries, such approaches can help marketers to compare the distance among different countries and learn how to adjust and localize their strategies in specific market.

Moreover, the author specific designs some chapters for global marketers. In those chapters, marketers can learn the characteristic of that market customers, and how to base on that unique feature to design the marketing strategies i.e. brand, product and price and advertising strategies i.e. media.

For researcher, this is a good book, the author has described the research methodology for culture-comparison, other than that, she has collected lots of secondary data to support the new data, therefore, the knowledge provided is very comprehensive. In every category like clothing, coffee and automobile, she also mentioned some tips for researchers to do research in that specific area. Some limitations of existing research findings are raised, which help the researches to remind some major limitations and the room for future research.

Overall speaking, the content is very comprehensive, and the description and analysis are good enough for readers to understand the concepts. Moreover, the main points and the sub points are clearly defined, which bring lots of convenient to the readers.

In conclusion, Consumer Behavior and Culture is a handbook for marketers and researchers, and at this moment, there is no other books can substitute it.

The Evolutionary Bases of Consumption (Marketing and Consumer Psychology Series)
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The Evolutionary Bases of Consumption (Marketing and Consumer Psychology Series)
Gad Saad
Manufacturer: Lawrence Erlbaum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Advertising | Marketing & Sales | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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Social Psychology & Interactions | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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The Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology

ASIN: 080585150X

Book Description

The Evolutionary Bases of Consumption by Gad Saad applies Darwinian principles in understanding our consumption patterns and the products of popular culture that most appeal to individuals. The first and only scholarly work to do so, this is a captivating study of the adaptive reasons behind our behaviors, cognitions, emotions, and perceptions. This lens of analysis suggests how we come to make selections such as choosing a mate, the foods we eat, the gifts that we offer, and more. It also highlights how numerous forms of dark side consumption, including pathological gambling, compulsive buying, pornographic addiction, and eating disorders, possess a Darwinian etiology.

Engaging and diverse in scope, the book maps consumption phenomena onto four key Darwinian modules: survival, reproduction, kin selection, and reciprocal altruism. As an interesting proposal, the author suggests that media and advertising contents exist in their particular forms because they are a reflection of our evolved human nature—negating the notion that they exist through the reverse causal link, as proposed by social constructivists. The link between evolutionary theory and consumption behaviors is detailed throughout the book via an examination of (among many others):
*appearance-enhancing products and services;
*financial and physical risk-taking;
*use of sexual imagery and the depictions of women in advertising; and
*television programs, movies, songs, music videos, literature, religion, and art.

The Evolutionary Bases of Consumption will appeal to evolutionists who desire to explore new areas wherein evolutionary theory can be applied; consumer and marketing scholars who wish to learn about the ways in which biological-and evolutionary-based theorizing can be infused into the consumer behavior/marketing/advertising disciplines; as well as other interdisciplinary scholars interested in gaining knowledge about the power of evolutionary theory in explaining a wide range of behavioral phenomena.

Creating Images and the Psychology of Marketing Communication (Advertising and Consumer Psychology)

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Creating Images and the Psychology of Marketing Communication (Advertising and Consumer Psychology)

Manufacturer: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Consumer Behavior | Marketing & Sales | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Mental Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Social Psychology & Interactions | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0805852166

Book Description

The purpose of Creating Images and the Psychology of Marketing Communication is to advance the understanding of the concept of image as it is applied to various areas of interest. It also serves to meet the growing interest in image-related studies by the public and academics, and provides an innovative and holistic approach to the study of image. The text reflects the importance of brand leveraging as the sections cover in-depth discussion on cross-country and tourism images, corporate and sponsorship images, individual and celebrity images, and cultural and social images. It provides a comprehensive and holistic look at the concept of image: the topics range from theories of image creative to other image studies on a country, corporate, and individual level. The sections cover the major topics currently being debated in image marketing and the psychology of communications. Several new and innovative concepts are also introduced in the book.

Creating Images and the Psychology of Marketing Communication is intended for academics and scholars (including students) in the interdisciplinary fields of consumer psychology, marketing, and communication.

Average customer rating:

Beware the 'WIWAKs' and the 'MARENTS'
Information Based on Solid Empirical Research

The Kids Market: Myths and Realities
James U. McNeal
Manufacturer: Paramount Market Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Creating Ever-Cool: A Marketer's Guide to a Kid's Heart
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ASIN: 0967143918

Customer Reviews:

Beware the 'WIWAKs' and the 'MARENTS'.......2001-01-06

I've been re-reading the book - The Kids Market: Myths and Realities, and once again I'm struck by the insight, and the thoroughness of the research. Dr. James U. McNeal has put together a book that truly is a must have for us in the business of marketing to kids.

I would like to talk a little about chapter 9 - 'Barriers to Understanding the Kids Market'. Dr. McNeal points out two caricatures of marketers targeting kids : The "WIWAKs" and the "Marents". The "WIWAKs" exemplify the "When I Was A Kid" approach to kids market strategy. Marents - on the other hand - base their kids market strategy on the fact that they are both marketers and parents. This supposedly gives them a special insight into the kids market.

Dr. McNeal then goes on to give a real gem of a formula: "C=f(P,E); that is, Children = function of (Parents, Environment). In long form, what children are, how they think and act ,are a function of both parental and environmental forces constantly at work, even before they were born." (pg. 111)

This is why the "Marent" approach to marketing is so potentially misleading. A marketers children are often more likely to reflect their parents' values than a true sense of the kids market.

This formula also points out the implicit need for accurate research and product testing to avoid basic marketing blunders such as: "Targeting all kids aged 2 - 12 with one ad message on one TV program, packaging salty snacks for kids in packages that don't cater to their limited dexterity, concept testing a product only among parents, offering premiums whose use requires adult supervision, and displaying product for kids in stores well above their eye level." (pg. 111)

In conclusion 'The Kids Market: Myths and Realities' is a must read for anyone interested in reaching the kids market. You can test your own knowledge by comparing your understanding of the kids market to the 27 myths and realities as presented by Dr. McNeal in this well researched and wonderfully presented book.

You also get lots of pie chart type marketing data research and charming drawing by children about their perceptions of the shopping experience. Dr. James U McNeal is a Professor of Marketing at Texas A&M University where he teaches courses in marketing and consumer behavior. He is also the author of 'Children as Consumers' and 'Kids as Customers'.

Marketers to the Kids Marketplace will find this book invaluable.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I have, Judith Judith A. Jewer - KidsMarketing.com

Information Based on Solid Empirical Research.......2000-05-26

This is a very informative book about the buying behavior of children around the world. This book has given me much insight into this topic. I have also read "Creating Ever Cool." They are two complementary tools for marketers.

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