The New Culture of Desire: The Pleasure Imperative Transforming Your Business and Your Life (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "Sometime in or around the winter of 1993, the world as we knew it ceased to be..." (more)
Key Phrases: Next Group, United States, Luxe Populi (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Combining popular psychology with business acumen, consultant Melinda Davis presents a Faith Popcorn-like guide for businesspersons in The New Culture of Desire: 5 Radical New Strategies That Will Change Your Business and Your Life. Davis contends that Americans' desires have shifted in recent years, from the physical to the metaphysical. She explains ways businesspersons can tap into this shift and thus present consumers with products that truly suit their needs. The book is thus not only a manual for marketers who want to understand their audience, but also a revealing social study that will intrigue consumers and producers alike.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

There is an ever-proliferating number of trend prognosticators, futurists, and think tanks. Few if any can predict what will really happen. Nevertheless, take time to enjoy Davis' ideas, for this Harvard grad, novelist, and corporate consultant bases her five strategies for marketers on the search for bliss, pure and simple. After all, today's work and pleasure are defined primarily by knowledge; we interact via screens and remote videos, all balanced by a desire for the high touch, the human connection. Many statistics and current trends support her theory, including the growing demand for personal advocates, such as coaches, and the pursuit of altered states, whether it is in a spa or via cosmetics. Barbara Jacobs
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Free Press; 1st edition (October 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 074320459X
• ISBN-13: 978-0743204590
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,272,653 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars visionary, but overpowering, November 1, 2002

By	paul zullo (brooklyn, ny United States) - See all my reviews

The deftness in which Melinda writes is encouraging. Her vision of our future seems to be on target and on the fore front. I thought she spent too much time making this a "self-help" book rather than a business tool. It wasn't until the tenth chapter that she actually explained how to apply her philosophies in the marketing of products. In addition, her fervent writing style began to weigh me down. She either has a great deal of enthusiasm or she's trying too hard to prove her point. The net net: I really enjoyed the book although it wasn't exactly what I expected.

8 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Poetic Appeciation of Societal Dilemmas, October 10, 2002

By	G. M. Chishti "hakim" (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A book like this comes along perhaps once every 50 or 100 years. Melinda Davis points out that the mind & soul of humanity (not just "Americans") are undergoing a shift from a materialistic to a spiritualistic environment. The impact of this on our life values and behaviors is already evident in many subtle ways --- but promises to evolve into a full blown revision of the way life is carried on for the foreseeable future.

Her vantage in the end is that of a poetess, providing signposts for people to use as they grope their way into new modes of thought and experience. It is difficult to overestimate the significance of her theses. In particular, literary persons, those involved in the healing and psychological professions, and, sad to say, the marketing mavens, will find this a must read book. They will, no doubt, have their world all shook up by this true masterpiece of perception and insight.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good read....., September 9, 2003

By A Customer

The author is a very good writer. She wrtites about emeging consumer trends. Although I am not sure how radical the ideas are and not sure it will change my life. Davis contends that Americans' desires have shifted in recent years, from the physical to the metaphysical. One other book I like that relate these ideas to what brand does is 60-Minute Brand Strategist by Idris Mootee. It covers quite of those metaphysical stuff.