Customer Reviews

The Next Evolution of Marketing: Connect with Your Customers by Marketing with Meaning

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I must say that when asked to review Bob Gilbreath's book, The Next Evolution of Marketing, I was somewhat reluctant. Probably because I expected it to be yet another of those marketing potboilers lining the shelves of America's bookstores, either sporting such esoteric titles as The Twelve Immutable Marketing Secrets of the Kalahari Nomads, or words of wisdom from some gnarly old retired captain of industry, probably ghost written by his latest trophy wife.

Fortunately, Bob's book is neither. For a start, he isn't gnarly, he isn't even retired. He's still working at a large global digital ad agency, which he does rather obviously promote the crap out of at every opportunity. Remember Bob, push is passé. However, to his credit, when he does do this, he ties it in to a specific, provable benefit his company has brought to both client and consumer.

Described by other reviewers as the next step beyond "Permission Marketing," Bob's central thesis is that because customers are increasingly being bombarded with advertising messages which they are choosing to ignore, we now have to create "Marketing with Meaning." I wholeheartedly agree, but with one caveat... There is nothing new about this situation, customers have always been bombarded with marketing messages, it's just that now, the volume has exponentially increased and potential customers have many more ways to tune you out. Therefore, Bob's words acquire even more relevancy.

In the first half of the book, Bob gives many, many (way too many), examples and case studies of companies who have taken a different tack in marketing their products and services to existing and potential customers. All good worthwhile stuff, particularly as he shows the concrete results of their efforts rather than the usual BDA (Big Dumb Agency) soporific... "We increased brand awareness." Personally, I think the number of examples is overkill, but I am sure all the MBA's out there will lap it up and create hundreds and hundreds of Power Point slides from the information.

The second half is a guide to implementing Bob's "Marketing with Meaning" premise into a company's marketing program. As with all good ideas, this is in reality, simple and logical. Something most large organizations seem to have a problem grasping. Think Cisco with its 47 "Action Committees" each with dozens of middle managers. Then compare it Rockefeller's Standard Oil at the height of its power. He had eleven managers. Bob does an excellent job of boiling everything you need to know down into four succinct and meaningful steps. Bravo Bob, but you'll never get a job at Cisco.

If you are pressed for time, take Bob's advice in Chapter six... "Start at the end."
The final five chapters are solid gold. The whole book reminds me of famous dead ad man Howard Gossage, who said forty years ago... "People don't read advertising, they read what interests them. Sometimes, that's advertising."

The Next Evolution of Marketing, Has lots of good stuff, I highly recommend it.

Now go buy my last book. Cheers/George
The Ubiquitous Persuaders

You only need to look at your personal behavior of ignoring commercials to understand that conventional interruption advertising no longer works. We have all become quite adept at tuning out advertising/marketing efforts. The average person is bombarded with some 3,000 messages per day - so in self-defense we have learned how to guard our attention.

The concepts of this book are based on the truth that our attention has become our most precious asset. Everyone I know suffers from excess demands on their attention. Therefore we have become very guarded about who and where we give our attention. "Consumers trade attention for value." We are no longer willing to listen/watch advertisement unless we believe we are gaining some value in return.

The best example of meaningful marketing is Google. "Because it is revolutionizing the advertising and marketing business by providing a service that people find valuable, Google is considered the most valuable brand in the world today, even though it spends almost nothing on advertising."

The book is divided into two parts. Part one answers the questions: What is marketing with meaning? It goes into great detail why traditional marketing is meaningless and therefore rapidly becoming ineffective. "Meaningful marketers never push, they invite prospective customers in by creating marketing that appeals to the higher unmet needs in their overall lives."

Then there is a discussion of what marketing with meaning can do for a business. Bob Gilbreath says that marketing with meaning follows a hierarchy of consumer needs. The first level of marketing with meaning is providing meaningful solutions, the second level is providing meaningful connections and the highest level is providing meaningful achievements.

There are numerous examples of highly successful marketing campaigns in each section. The examples covers a wide variety of products/services and sizes of businesses.

Part two of the book is a detailed outline for anyone to implement the concepts of this book in their own business. Again, there plenty of examples of successful implementations.

Does it work? According to Gilbreath, "Not only have we never seen a major meaningful marketing effort fail to pay off, but with the rising cost and failing results of traditional mass media, you may have no other choice."

The book is well written and easy to read. The concepts and insights are remarkable. You will totally understand that to compete in our rapidly changing world, you must adapt to meet the prospect. There are dozens of examples of companies that have used the internet to build meaningful marketing campaigns much faster and less expensively than traditional marketing.

As a final note Gilbreath discusses the way society views marketers - on the lower end of the scale. He says, "By creating marketing that people choose to engage with, and that itself improves people's lives, we are reaching the highest level of personal success."

So not only will the marketing work better, the marketers will find higher meaning in life.

This is a very important work. I believe it brings very high value to anyone involved in marketing their business.

It is the next evolution of marketing.

"The Next Evolution of Marketing" is a quick read due to the colorful anecdotes and examples that are layered throughout the book. The book describes the paradigm shift that is taking place in marketing today as firms must entice consumers to "opt into" a relevant, meaningful marketing program that promotes a dialogue and relationship between seller and buyer.

Marketing with Meaning provides real world insight coupled with an actionable framework to drive meaningful marketing forward for any product. The attitudes of the aging boomers and Gen Y coupled with the new recessionary behaviors demand that marketers find a higher level meaning to connect with consumers beyond push advertising. Bob's work with Fortune 100 companies proves that creating valuable marketing itself can drive business results. As an employee that practices marketing with meaning, it also makes me feel more fulfilled in my job. Here's to hoping this changes the perception of the ad business!

Marketing with Meaning is a great read for anyone in marketing. It has a genuine approach to connecting with consumers in marketing, particularly through the digital space, by understanding what is truly meaningful to them. The best way to consume this book is keep top of mind how it can innovate your own marketing efforts and estabilish a meaningful relationship with your target audience.

I have to admit that I've grown a little cynical of many "business" books not because they aren't interesting, but because I find that I don't do anything differently after reading them. There's no clear path of what to do next nor how to achieve all the wonderful, and often theoretical, achievements that are spread throughout the book. The Next Evolution of Marketing is NOT that kind of book.

The first half of the book sets up the concept of "Marketing with Meaning" through example after example. Some are well-known campaigns and others are more obscure. Almost every one is presented in an interesting, case study-like format that reads very quickly. To add some additional color, included throughout are quotes from some of the most well-known marketers in the world. What else is interesting about these examples is that almost every one includes the eventual results of the program where many other books stop at "and it worked really well." This further helps to increase your confidence in the fact that this idea might just be the "next evolution of marketing."

Throughout these examples, you start to realize that this concept isn't just for massive companies or very a select set of industries. Anyone can do it and the second half of the book explains EXACTLY how to it. That's what makes this book different. It's a rare business book that happens to actually be practical instead of theoretical. After reading all the supporting evidence in the first half of the book for why this new marketing approach is essential, you're ready to jump into the second half where you learn the steps you can follow all the way from generating the idea to "selling" it internally to measuring its success. Most business books would have stopped at the first half and called it a day. Even without the interesting examples in the first half, the practical implementation approach of the second half alone makes this book stand out.

As a little disclaimer, I had the chance to be one of the first to read this book, as this was written by one of my colleagues, so while I might have a little positive bias, if I didn't like it, I simply wouldn't have written a review at all...just like Mom always told me.

The book is awesome. It presents a lot of examples/case studies for marketers of how to do things in a different way.In a new way. It's about the new rules of marketing. Not Push but Pull.
I read it 3 times already (:

The Next Evolution of Marketing explains how professionals can tailor their marketing concepts to reach diverse levels of customer desires. The author included problems, real life examples and experiences and describes how to implement successful marketing. The book revolves around a Hierarchy of Meaningful Marketing which consists of solution, connection and achievement. The methodology engaged throughout the book helps organizations to connect customers and add value to their lives. Bob is able to show how businesses can grow in sales and increase loyal customers by connecting them in the marketing. After reading this book, you have a clear understanding of the differences between direct, permission and marketing with meaning. Companies that initiate marketing with meaning are able to create marketing that people choose to engage with and build a connection with them through meaningful campaigns that positively target their lives. The Next Evolution of Marketing unveils a revolutionary approach and helps to promote change throughout marketing.

Seth Godin writes about gaining the persmission of potential customers while marketing. Bob Gilbreath explains how people are changing their expectations of internet marketers, and what we need to give them if our marketing efforts are going to succeed. Their ideas are driving success on the internet.

Bob's examples are mainly from big companies with big budgets. I run a small SEO/internet marketing business, mainly for mom and pop size shops. This information is as useful for them as it is for the big boys.

It is an excellent read, well thought out, easy to follow and has lots of examples to trigger ideas.

The best Marketing book I've read in a long time. As a mid-twenties marketing manager, I find my own company stuck in this rut of meaningless marketing. We execute print ads, broadcast, billboards (yes even billboards, ::shutters::); we throw out pitches to millions hoping something will stick. We sweat over colors and creative as if it's going to seal the deal. This book is a refreshing and informative look on how marketing should be. Look forward to reading this for a second time in the near future!