The Elements of Influence: Introducing the Playmaker's Standard: The New Essential System for Managing Competition, Reputation, Brand, and Buzz (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "Economists have game theory..." (more)
Key Phrases: decode this play, beta plays, alpha play, Call Out, Red Herring, Bear Hug (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

The Elements of Influence is full of such acute distillations of Mr. Kelly's ideas, peppered with topical references to politics, the media, technology and pop culture. . . . [It makes] us look at time-worn facets of the business world in a fresh and freshly ordered way. -- Wall Street Journal

Product Description

A landmark system for business leaders and marketers, campaigners and bloggers, political junkies and fans of popular culture, The Elements of Influence takes the mystery out of strategy and how it shapes and shifts niche and global marketplaces alike.

It’s about Playmaking. In business, it’s what Pepsi does to thwart Coke, and vice versa. In politics, it’s what White House strategists do to propel an agenda and win elections. In pop culture, it’s what Oprah Winfrey does to build her personal brand and seduce her audience. Playmaking is the essential skill for advancing ideas, controlling marketplace discussions, positioning products, de-positioning competitors, embracing allies, and moving your program forward.

Chemists have the periodic table of elements. Economists have game theory. Those whose work centers on strategy, positioning, and influence have had no framework. That is, until now.

The first definitive system for out-smarting an opponent, managing a brand, protecting a reputation, and orchestrating word-of-mouth, The Elements of Influence unveils this critical and sprawling discipline and introduces The Playmaker’s Standard, a new essential language of 25 irreducible plays. It breaks down into precise pieces the moves and counter-moves by which competitive advantage is won and lost, buzz is built, spin is spun, and arms are twisted, and it shows how masters of the game call, run, decode, and counteract the ploys and plans of their marketplaces. Plays are everywhere and everyone is a playmaker, and those who know this – the black belts of business, politics, and pop culture – will always have the edge over those who don’t. The Elements of Influence will help you join their ranks.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Adult (October 19, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525949844
• ISBN-13: 978-0525949848
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.5 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #866,460 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Making sense of instinct in public relations and public affairs, February 16, 2007

By	A. Smith (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

By way of context, I know author Alan Kelly quite well and had been awaiting the publication of his book with some interest.
This is a book well overdue. It puts structure and order around what many of us in the public relations and public affairs industry do by instinct (certainly historically). In essence, and as Kelly says in the book, he attempts to impose something akin to the chemist's periodic table of the elements on to PR practices and techniques. For example, he talks about Diverts, Tests, Attacks and Mirrors (and more besides) and categorizes these and many other techniques into a framework or catalogue of moves. In all, there are 25 of these "Plays" in three Groups, the whole creating the "Playmaker's Standard".
Does it work and is it helpful? Ultimately, I think yes. Some of the examples are repeated more than they should be. To a non-America eye and ear (I'm an English-born Australian) some of the examples are overtly American (albeit that this is Kelly's experience, so understandable). And some of the examples seem retrospectively shoe-horned into a category.
But the book is open on my desk, right now, and I'm creating a "Play" (it's a toss-up between a Call-Out and a Pre-Empt, in the aggressive Engage class, if you're interested) in a way that I wouldn't have done before the book's appearance. I can predict what might happen when (if) we push the button on this Play. This is essential to the comfort of the colleagues who will be on the front line.
The book and its Plays require multiple reads to get them into the brain. And there's clearly a commercial element, with an associated web site and software to make Playmaking more effective. (I've gone to neither of these - I'm using a pen and paper, and Kelly's book, for now.)
But the question is, should you read it? If you are in public relations, public affairs, corporate communications, or marketing - yes.

5.0 out of 5 stars Provides a clear system and strategy for 'playmaking', December 11, 2006

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

The Elements of Influence: A New Essential System for Managing Competition, Reputation, Brand, and Buzz provides a clear system and strategy for 'playmaking' - how companies thwart others and provide value and competitive strengths. 'Playmaking' is the fine art of controlling marketplace discussions, direction and strategies, and chapters here survey an array of disciplines - not just the business world - to cover everything from positioning to idea advancement.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

4.0 out of 5 stars Forward Thinking!!, November 7, 2006

By	Robert G. Vaughan (Towson, MD USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This well-written book is like the twentyfirst century sequel to last century's "Hidden Persuaders". Mr. Kelly has given us a way to rationalize and apply logic to what has been "seat of the pants" marketing up until now. With these tools, competition will move much faster in the future.