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Tag: Book Reviews
What Do Women and Geezers Have in Common?
Give up? The answers, according to uber guru Tom Peters and Martha Barletta in their slim volume Trends are oodles of cash, purchasing power and huge influence.
Written in Peters’ no-holds-barred, rant-heavy and straight talking narrative, Trends provides lots of facts, figures and anecdotes to show that women and Baby Boomers are probably the two largest blindspots in the eyes of marketers everywhere. With a steely-eyed determination to tear down age-old prejudices against the “weaker sex” and “old geezers”, Peters and Barletta described how myopic views of catering largely to “White men in the 18 to 44 age group” have resulted in organisations neglecting huge markets worth “trillions of dollars”.
The Push of Psychological Sways
Written in a style reminiscent of Malcolm Gladwell, “Sway – The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behaviour” by Ori and Rom Brafman explores how seemingly irrelevant psychological influences impact human decisions. Peppered with anecdotes and experiments from social psychology, behavioural economics and organisational behaviour, Sway tells us why much of our decision making is more often subjective than objective.
Citing fascinating examples from the Israeli Army, US’s Supreme Court, Who Wants To Be a Millionaire, and the anthropological fraud known as the “Piltdown Man“, the Brafman brothers’ weave a compelling narrative in the slim volume. Backed by scientific research, the case studies help to illustrate various psychological phenomena throughout the book. They include:
Why Looks and Beauty Matter
Does being beautiful and handsome give you a head start in life?
Well, despite what should have been a fairer and more equal world, the ugly truth is that looks still matter. At least according to Beauty Bias – Discrimination and Social Power authored by sociologist Bonnie Berry.
The 6 Principles of Nudge: a Noble-Prize Winning Idea
Courtesy of Management Pocketbooks
Congratulations to Richard Thaler for winning the Nobel Prize for Economics!
I’m glad that his ideas in behavioural insights have shaped how governments operate – including ours here in Singapore.
How To Write Like a King
Courtesy of NPR.org
One of my lifelong dreams is to write and publish a book.
As a purveyor of the written word, I relish opportunities to create a polished piece of prose that can influence others or contribute to the body of knowledge in the world.
Brand Storytelling Basics You Must Know
What was the greatest company or brand story you’ve ever heard? Why were you enchanted by it?
Since time immemorial, mankind has always relied on stories to transmit information, values and ideas from generation to generation.
How Disney Became the World’s Largest Entertainment Empire
Statue of Walt Disney and his most famous creation (couresy of Michael Sult)
“Mickey Mouse management isn’t a joke. It’s the ticket to your business future.” – Bill Capodali and Lynn Jackson
Anybody who is into the world of entertainment knows how omnipresent the Disney brand has grown to be.
Emotional Marketing the Hallmark Way
Courtesy of AZ Quotes
“People don’t buy for logical reasons. They buy for emotional reasons.” – Zig Ziglar
This quote from the legendary sales guru Zig Ziglar aptly describes the world of marketing, where it is vital to reach the heart in order to generate a buying response.
While the rational part of us would sort through the price, features, and logical needs we have for a particular product or service, it is the emotional part – the feelings, benefits, wants and beliefs – which determine the purchase decision.
Sensational Branding!
Multi-sensorial branded luxury in SIA’s first class cabin (courtesy of Richard Moross)
What do leading brands like Apple Computer, Singapore Airlines and Disney have in common?
Answer? These brands represent some of the world’s most multi-sensory brands.