The Better Mousetrap: Brand Invention in a Media Democracy

Pont, a notable brand-builder, begins this treatise on modern advertising strategy slowly, laying out those qualities that define a brand: "slippery, elusive, real%E2%80%A6 and unreal." While acknowledging that, "[w]hen CEOs try to think about brands, their brains hurt," he moves quickly into the challenge of brand marketing today, considering the accelerated pace of change and what he notes as a current problem: "time famine". This is important in brand development because brands can't simply "be"; existing on the pages of magazines or on tv screens like they did in the 1980s when everyone recognized Nike's slogan "Just Do It". Today, brands need to create conversations, and, according to film-maker, Ed Burns, "the old rules don't have to apply." While that's hardly big news, what Pont doesn't cover is what does apply. He refers to "buzzy ideas" and "transmedia", but even he admits transmedia%E2%80%94beyond promoting movies in a quasi-effective manner%E2%80%94hasn't proven to be an effective technique. Pont's British product references and language gap may leave a few readers mystified, but more importantly, many of his offerings are so dated that the newest generation of marketers may look at the examples from the 1970s or 1980s and be left cold. (Jan.)