July 14, 2005

zzz-marketing

Mark Hughes’s recent title Buzzmarketing: get people to talk about your stuff brought to mind one of Groucho Marx’s more famous quips: “I never forget a face, but in your case I’ll make an exception.” That’s because I have a steadfast rule of not reviewing or commenting on books that I haven’t fully read. But in this case I’m willing to make an exception.

I’ll start with the cover, which is the one thing I really like about this book. The bright, playful illustration of one person speaking into another’s ear is eye-catching, and serves the core message of the book well.

What did I not like about this book? For starters, the topic. Do we really need yet another book on the art of buzz marketing? On generating word-of-mouth, creating tipping points, spawning viral marketing, all in the service of garnering attention for the latest insignificant bauble? To date the only proven success of buzz marketing has been the buzz marketers themselves. The author is famous for the gimmick of convincing the people of Halfway, Oregon, to rename themselves Half.com, when he was VP of marketing at that company. Okay, that’s a real applicable lesson for all you marketers out there.

In his book, Hughes draws lessons from such important business topics as American Idol and Britney Spears, advising people to start conversations (and buzz) by pushing one of the six buttons of buzz: the taboo, unusual, outrageous, hilarious, remarkable, and secret. I can’t quite figure out which one of these categories his book fits into. Was humdrum one of them? Or maybe the “piling-on,” as in jumping onto a topic already covered to death by many predecessors. At least he has the grace to avoid drawing lessons from the Blair Witch Trial, a case study that has inspired far too many business authors.

The point is, why aren’t there more celebrated books about how to make great products? Or books that question the role of business today? Or take on topics like making meaning among the employees? Marketing is essential, but most marketing books are tired. And one last gripe: in the notes the author misspells the name of Rosabeth Moss Kanter.

Posted by Tom Ehrenfeld at July 14, 2005 11:22 AM
Comments

The smartest thing Hughes says can be found on pg 142: "Buzz can happen overnight, but buzzmarketing can't. Buzzmarketing is deliberate and planned."

The dumbest thing he says is Hummer (the mega SUV) needs to sign up Hugh Grant to be a celebrity spokesperson to generate mega buzz. This of course links back to Hugh getting a hummer from a prostitute in the mid 90s. And if that wasn't dumb enough, his idea for great buzzmarketing is having Ginsu knives use John Wayne Bobbit as a celebrity sponsor. All this coming from a marketer who purports his Six Secrets to Buzzmarketing will create sustainable word-of-mouth. Ha!

If you are a marketer looking to grab 15 minutes of fleeting fame for your product, then read BUZZMARKETING.

Posted by: the unknown blogger at July 14, 2005 9:16 PM

Blair Witch Trial? Wasn't it "Project?" Freudian slip, maybe? It would have been more interesting if it was a witch trial instead of just being a trial to watch.

A few years ago there was a story on some TV news magazine about companies who hired young, hip urbanites to go around and talk about products in the hearing of other young, hip urbanites in an effort to intentionally create "buzz." Seems it turned out to be a hugefailure because it was so obviously a put-up job and not sincere.

Posted by: Dutch Shultz at July 15, 2005 1:07 PM
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