Attention's Loop

Book Description

"This is a book about attention and memory. I am a sculptor, so it is also a book about size, dirt, artifice, work, and eye. The text is a set of stories and interruptions that pile up to make a play of overlapping loops. My organizing principle is the image of the round-trip, so one may open the book and step into it at any point. Most of [the] photographs are of a single sculpture. It is a self-portrait, a particular kind of round-trip, and it is small: one-half life-size. Called Pupil, it is jointed and movable and I pose it. I think of it as an instrument."

So writes the sculptor Elizabeth King in the foreword of her book, Attention's Loop. Both book and sculpture grow out of King's interest in finding ways to articulate how the mind experiences time. A philosophical essay in image and text, this artist's book challenges the expectation that an image will only illustrate the writing that surrounds it. The recognizably figurative sculpture that serves as the focus of the book is both subject and speaker. Attention's Loop simultaneously addresses and enacts the complexity of representation, and of consciousness itself.

Attention's Loop won a design award in the American Institute of Graphic Arts "50 Books/50 Covers 1999" competition, and a Merit Award for Design in the 1999 New York Book Show.

Customer Reviews:

A truly original modern artist.......2003-06-18

Ms. King is not only a great artist but an original thinker. Her sculptures, mechanical self-portraits fashioned from wood and metal, are amazingly realistic and beautiful yet at the same time a step beyond reality. As a craftsman, she is truly gifted with her hands. As a writer, she is able to examine the fields of history, philosophy, and science through the lens of her art and make us rethink the meaning of the human brain and senses. Especially fascinating was her research into the history of the homunculus.

As an added bonus, the book is beautifully designed (even won an award for book design).

Crystaline romp.......2000-06-03

A crystalline romp reflecting tension and reverie involved in the creation of that which is in our image. King's prose is elegant, pithy, never prolix, illuminating topics from the Golem to ETA Hoffman's Olympia while passing on the way thorough Jacquard's loom and Vaucanson's creations.

Throughout this shimmering work are dispersed aching photographs of King's Pupil, a jointed movable sculpture; her Galetea, who seems, at any moment, about to spring to life.

I without reservation recommend this work to anyone interested in the creation of works in the image of "Man," from sculptors to professors of AI.

Average customer rating:
Attention's Loop
Elizabeth King
Manufacturer: Harry N Abrams
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MC69QA

Book Description

The time is perfect for a short, smart purse book. The "good bag" has nudged out shoes, jeans, and jewelry as the must–have fashion possession. Despite price hikes –– $1,445 for a Prada bowler bag that once cost $940 –– the craze for high–end purses helps fuel the booming luxury–goods market and, via knock–offs, hugely influences the $6 billion–a–year mainstream handbag industry. But purse mania isn't just an outgrowth of a strong luxury–goods market –– human thoughts, feelings, and dreams are involved, too. As Nadia, a high–powered interior designer says, "My cell and my big Tod's purse –– that is my life."

In IT'S IN THE BAG, noted journalist Winifred Gallagher explains it what means for a purse to be a life. This cultural history of the handbag borrows from psychology (Freud noted that sometimes a purse is a vagina –– which is perhaps why the first "handbags" were carried by men!), sociology (a purse as a "status symbol") and even economics (Why have prices gotten so steep?). Researched and erudite yet always fun, Winifred Gallagher offers in IT'S IN THE BAG a charming theory of modern identity as seen through one of our keenest obsessions.

Customer Reviews:

Decent "coffee table" "chic lit" read........2007-03-13

I was expecting more of an academic, historical and psychological analysis of the actual meaning that handbags (and personal items) have to people. The book touched on this BRIEFLY a few times. But, the rest of the book discussed brand/label history of designers and name dropped.

I was a bit dissapointed. If you're looking for a book on handbag design history, or light coffee table reading, you might enjoy this book. If you want to dig deeper into the psychological meaning that objects have for you, this book (suprisingly) will not do much for you.

A Charming and Insightful Study of an Everyday Object.......2007-02-02

There are entire specialties of scholarly inquiry into the meaning of the things in our lives. Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, who researches humans' everyday lives and things shows that people " -- especially women -- particularly value 'contemplative objects' that have positive associations and represent dimensions of who we are" (p. 66). The lovely and engaging, charmingly reported IT'S IN THE BAG: WHAT PURSES REVEAL AND CONCEAL by Winifred Gallagher sheds light on what purses mean, their history, how certain ones become "IT" and how women relate to these objects in their lives. As a woman who never seems to have enough purses, I was very curious about what I would learn in this book and very gratified by what I found here.

Gallagher, who has written for the Atlantic Monthly, Rolling Stone and the New York Times, and has written books on spirituality, among other topics, takes her reportage on this issue just seriously enough. (In the conclusion she states that a purse isn't going to change anyone's life significantly.) But she does examine just thoroughly enough the historical context of the purse, how they are produced, who makes decisions about the accessories we carry (even when we purport not to care, we are carrying out the vision of someone, somewhere who does!), why women are attached to their handbags and the individual stories of specific women (such as Gov. Ann Richards, who designed her own for the utmost utility and attractiveness). She quotes designers, fashion directors, store buyers and purse connoisseurs and obsessives. She talks to everyone from French marketing research guru Clotaire Rapaille to Isaak Mizrahi ("You cannot ignore your hair or your shoes or your bra--those things you must, must, must come to terms with. But...your bag can be your totally functional friend or your amusing court jester" [p. 62].)

I found the chapter on why we care absolutely fascinating and illuminating. I remember a while ago saying to my husband, "What is it about purses that is so irresistible to me?" He said, "Maybe you just like them." But now I know there are ways to parse and understand that interest, which relates back to how individuals endow certain objects with meaning, which according to Csikszentmihalyi is part of an individual's necessary development of self. Purses appeal because they answer behavioral needs (or utility needs such as carrying the things busy women need on their long, demanding days), visceral needs (appealing to the woman both visually and tactically) and reflective needs (calling to mind something from our past that had emotional meaning for us, such as a mother's fine-leather handbag). We certainly know that we make more decisions on the emotional-subconscious level than we often admit. A purse that speaks to a woman on all these levels may cause her to plunk down $1,200 to $2,000 for a handbag!

I thought this book was completely enjoyable, and adds to the constantly evolving portrait we have of the contemporary woman. I recommend it!

HANDBAG is THE buzz-word!.......2007-01-09

amazingly interesting how the handbag for women is now the equivelant of the wristwatch or italian sportscar for a man.

Average customer rating:

This Is The Purse Book To Buy
Worst Purse Book Ever...
You'll want to "bag" this one and make it your own!!
GREAT BOOK on PURSES
awesome

Popular Purses: It's in the Bag!
Leslie Pina , and Donald-Brian Johnson
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0764312936

Book Description

From fun and funky to excitingly exotic, popular purses of the mid-20th century have a fashion appeal all their own. More than simply functional, these bags feature bold, often whimsical stylings. They say notice meand buyers continue to do just that! Crocodile and carved Lucite, and elegant beaded evening bags are here, as are bags by Enid Collins, all enticingly displayed in over 400 color photos and vintage ads. The bright, breezy, and informative text pays tribute to fashion at its flirtiest, while the current price guide will have collectors reaching for their pocketbooks!

Customer Reviews:

This Is The Purse Book To Buy.......2003-07-08

I am so happy that I purchaed this book! I own several books on collectables, including other purse books, and this is by far the best vintage purse book yet. The photography is outstanding-- very colorful and fun to look at. The information in the book is also accurate and useful. Donald-Brian Johnson obviously did his homework and presents in a casual yet informative way. If you plan to buy only one purse book in the future, this should definitely be it!!

Worst Purse Book Ever..........2003-06-20

I have nearly every vintage purse book ever published and I must say this is definatelly the worst. Don't bother, save your money. The purse has virtually no information, other than "prices". Prices that are nowhere realistic. Pictures are plain and boring. You can see better purses at a thrift store. Wish I could get my money back :P

You'll want to "bag" this one and make it your own!!.......2001-03-10

Popular Purses: It's in the Bag! is a refreshing oasis in a world of often mundane collector books. Donald-Brian Johnson and Leslie Pina have done it again!! Ms. Pina's photos make this book a sheer delight to behold and Mr. Johnson's text makes learning about mid-twentieth century purses a rewarding experience. The book is obviously well researched and contains lots of interesting and useful information for the purse collector. And, as in previous books, Johnson's writing style assures that you'll never be bored. A beautiful book in every way!!

GREAT BOOK on PURSES.......2001-03-10

My wife and I just purchased this book and cannot recommend it highly enough to other purse collectors. They have some beautiful purses pictured and the photographs are very well done. The information in the book is VERY INFORMATIVE and the author who ever he is did a really great job. Too bad all books on things that people collect cannot be as informative as this one. We just cannot recommend it highly enough.

awesome.......2001-03-10

I have the book and think it's full of imformation.The photo's are beautiful and the purses are fun.The section on lucite clearly states the word lucite is used under the broad umbrella of "hard plastic's".While some might consider the purses ordinary,the exsamples shown are different from other shown in other purse books.As a collector I can appreciate the varity in this book since most books cover beaded or lucite purses only.If there is a more imformative book out there I like to know.It seems a lot of attendtion and research went into this book it's not just another pretty face.

Customer Reviews:

At 15, Jeremy is smart, lazy, and a handful!.......2006-05-30

Zits is an entertaining comic strip. As with many comics, as you get to "know" the characters, the comics get funnier and funnier. You begin to anticipate what is really going on in Calvin's head, or what Peter Fox does without coffee in the morning, or... what happens when Jeremy's hormones start flowing.

If you ever get the opportunity to add something to a time capsule that won't be opened for 50-100 years, put this book inside. It will either be hilarious or mystifying to those future generations!

"Zits" is ingenious, in it's own way........2002-12-29

"Growth Spurt: Zits Sketchbook 2" is cute, but not as funny as the "Zits: Sketchbook 1." Still, this book is true to life and has a humorous outlook at teenagers. Great for a fan collecting this series. I recommend.

A great strip, a great book!.......2001-08-20

Two reasons why I appreciate this strip so much: a) I vaguely remember being Jeremy's age and b) I have a son. Now he's in the ýBaby Bluesý age - one reason why I don't find that strip so funny - but I can sympathise with all the strip's characters. So I get amused, inspired and also touched. The stories are very human, they don't degrade any of the generations, they are well drawn. Book 2 is in every way as good as book 1. I hope it continues that way.

ZITS just keeps getting better.......2000-04-24

WOW.. I first turned to the first page and never laff so hard in a real-long time.. the two writers deserve everything for making this book and sketchbook one very worth buying! i hope this someday becomes a real life movie haha! ssj3

Just wonderful.......1999-12-16

I agree with the sentiments expressed by a previous reviewer who suggests this strip is slowly cloaking itself in the all-conquering mastery of Calvin and Hobbes. Zits is exceptionally well thought-out and hardly a frame is wasted or a dud, and when was the last time you said that about a cartoon strip? Buy it now!

Book Description

HUMOR CAN BE an extremely useful tool for success; when used properly it can reduce stress, improve communication, and create a more comfortable work environment. Now best-selling humorists Esther Blumenfeld and Lynne Alpern offer guidance for identifying and developing your own sense--and style--of humor. Focusing on both traditional and nontraditional workplaces--whether you're a seasoned executive or an entry-level assistant--Humor at Work reveals the inside track on using humor to improve your speeches and negotiations, to develop management abilities and leadership roles, and to guide you through the pitfalls of day-to-day life. Key chapters deal specifically with such professions as teaching, sales and customer relations, secretarial and support positions, and the health care field, with a special chapter devoted to women in the workplace. An extensive resource chapter offers further information on conferences and organizations, publications and courses, and recommended reading.

Customer Reviews:

Great companion book to WorkLaughs.......2006-12-29

Blumenfeld is a delight to read. Not only will you get lots of chuckles reading this book but
you will also learn a lot about adding laughter to the not-so-funny workplace. A great
companion book to WorkLaughs: Quips, Quotes, and Anecdotes about Making a Buck.
(also available on Amazon).

Humor at Work.......2001-07-20

A must read for anyone that has to work with people, which is everyone. I am now using this book with my training of new co-workers. It is great.

Customer Reviews:

Best book!!!.......2001-03-04

This book is definatly enjoyable. True, while most normal people don't have half as many luxuries as Cher does, this book actually made me have a more positive attitude on the subjects mentioned. This book also has actual scenes from the movie mentioned, along with other scenarios. Enjoy this book!!!!!!!!!

LIKE, TOTALLY...WHATEVER!.......1999-07-13

I think Cher's Guide to...Whatever! is defenitly THE book for all you Clueless fans! If you loved the movie, you'll get a kick out of this book! The defenite guide for the Clueless Guy/Gal for the 90's.

a FABULOUS companion.......1999-06-21

Clueless is my all time favorite movie (out of 5 other "favorite movies") and this book is a great companion to the movie. It has all the funny stuff about the Beverly Hills richies, just like in the movie. It is hilarious! And it's got some great B&W photos from the movie. A great book for all Clueless lovers.

This book was not the best I've read.......1999-04-03

When I read this I also thought this would be a guide to life but it turned out just to be quotes galore!

Funny.......1998-08-14

If you liked the movie, you'll like this book. It's really funny and has a little dictionary of words that you might not understand. it's also got color photo of the betty's and baldwins of Beverly Hills High

Customer Reviews:

Good.......2006-05-20

The title might seem as a joke to some people but selling your soul is just about the last thing you need to do to succeed in the music industry. Many actions and events in the music industry seem like playing Russian roulette with fait and in many occasions it's jus a matter of time before someone gets "shot" down. A cruel world doesn't accept weak people but this book teaches you exactly how to be the strong man in the equation. With interesting structure and ease of access this tile is one of the best guides to stardom that you'll ever see

interesting read.......2006-05-17

This book is a good insight to the music business, just as its title claims. Everyone should read it, even if your interest in music is only slight, and you're not ready to take it to a career. This book is inspiring and informational. I also suggest "The Music Business: How YOU can make $500,000 "or more" a year in the music industry by Doing it Yourself!" by Ty Cohen.

A musicians instruction manual.......2000-04-07

I read the book in the Mid 80's while living in California and saw all of the myths that I thought were just that myths come to light out of the dark. This book is slimmer that the most of them but contains everything you need. "A musicians instruction manual."

A book for aspiring musicians........1999-10-28

Absolutely fantastic. Gives the honest truth about the business today. Any person in the music business should read this.

Awesome.......1998-10-28

This book is a God-send to all aspiring musicians. Gives you insight on everything from getting small-time gigs to recording to making it big.

Average customer rating:

the previous reviewer has obviously never read this book

Authors don't understand the Yugioh Card Game...

Could Be Better

Prima has decreased all non-buyers' lp to 0!

strategy guide

Yu-Gi-Oh! Card Catalog: Prima's Official Strategy Guide
Prima Temp Authors
Manufacturer: Prima Games
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Yu-Gi-Oh! Official Card Catalog (Prima Official Card Catalog)

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Total Yu-Gi-Oh

Monster Duel Official Handbook (Yu-gi-oh)

Pojo's Unofficial Big Book of Yu-Gi-Oh!

ASIN: 0761539425
Release Date: 2003-07-16

Book Description

Monster Cards, Spell Cards, they're all here!
·Over 750 cards included for your reference
·Expert tips for preparing your deck
·Covers Official Rules
·In-depth info for all phases of a Duel
·Tips for determining damage
·Steps for performing a Fusion

Customer Reviews:

the previous reviewer has obviously never read this book.......2006-02-01

I am a HUGE fan of Yu-Gi-Oh (see my review for The YuGiOh Movie for more info) and have come to rely on Prima's strategy guides (especially this one) for many occasions. Prima's has done it again, cataloging all the cards you would ever need to build a supremely kick-ass deck and then a lot more. I actually built my deck based on the suggestions found in this catalog and have built, as I have previously mentioned, a truly kick-ass deck. In fact, the deck that I won my first tournament with was constructed from the Prima's guide. For both newcomers to the duelist realm and veterans of the craze, this is the definite catalog for you.

Authors don't understand the Yugioh Card Game..........2003-12-17

The book is a good reference for 'viewing' all cards available. If you want to simply view all cards and not go any further, this book is for you. This product seriously lacks the passion of the game. i.e Heart of the Cards.

If you're looking for a book to give a enlightened view into the current card playing landscape and how each card may affect the landscape or a particular deck class (beatdown, card control, exodia, ect) this book will make you un-happy.

The Authors of the book seriously show their ignorance of the game as a strategey guide. Prima thought they could push out another title and serously under-estimates the Yugioh card environment.

I play Yugioh with my son weekly. We laughed at this book. It gathers dust on my shelf. I would strongly suggest the 'Pojo' set of Yugioh book guides.

Could Be Better.......2003-11-03

The primary reason that I give a lower rating is that the text is not legible. For monsters, this is understandable and forgiveable. For others, it is not.

Some of the tips are useful, but many are trite. Still, that helped bring up the overall rating.

There are nine cards per page with each card having these:

+ card type
+ monster type
+ attribute
+ level
+ ATK
+ DEF
+ rarity
+ editorial comments

Add a brief set of rules, table of contents and index and that is about all there is. The other things that I expected were things that I mentioned above. I also expected a list of what constitutes the different rarity ratings. This certainly should be in this book, but was not. I will provide an estimate here:

C : Common
X : only in structure decks or starter decks
R : Rare (card name in silver foil)
SCR : Secret Rate (sparkling holographic image)
SR : Super Rare (images on foil background)
UR : Ultra Rare (card name in gold foil, image on foil background)
UTR : Ultimate Rare (embossed holographic image with foil lettering)

Regardless, it is a book that probably should be in your collection.

Prima has decreased all non-buyers' lp to 0!.......2003-10-14

The greatest guide you might ever see. Explains: rules, attack and defense, life points (lp), card lists, and more! Rule the duel with this and the following items: Deluxe Starter Set (joey or pegasus), Duel Disc Launcher, Yugi Starter deck, Magicians Force Boster Packs, Yu-Gi-Oh! Card Catalog: Prima's Official Strategy Guide, and maybee a duelist calculator. Its right here folks! The book almost as good s the Thousand Eyes Bible!

strategy guide.......2003-03-09

I think this is a great type of book for beginners at dueling.I also think it is good because it can help duelists who aren`t that good at it, they want to learn new strategies,or to beat that opponent that just keeps beating you that you can`t win against.

Average customer rating:

Probably one of the truly best, and important, business books I've read

An Insightful book

Ogilvy would've been proud

Almost set my hair on fire....

A Book Full of Business Wisdom

Then We Set His Hair on Fire: Insights and Accidents from a Hall of Fame Career in Advertising
Phil Dusenberry
Manufacturer: Amazon Remainders Account
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: B000EXYZRW

Amazon.com

When author Phil Dusenberry began his career at the giant ad agency BBDO in 1962, advertising--and really all of marketing--was a very different industry. Products were simpler, customer segmentation and targeting less sophisticated, and even the vocabulary of sales and marketing less extensive. In the ensuing four decades, as Dusenberry rose to become Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of BBDO, the world changed. Still, the relative simplicity of a bygone era comes through in Then We Set His Hair on Fire--it's a refreshing read and a throwback to the time of David Ogilvy's classic, Confessions of an Ad Man.

Partly a memoir, partly a textbook on classic advertising campaigns, and partly one man's discourse on the complicated art of persuading people to do a simple thing--"buying more stuff"--Dusenberry's work will satisfy different audiences. Most obviously, eager business students wanting to learn the behind-the-scenes details that went into the creation of world-famous advertising campaigns will find a trove of rich anecdotes. Dusenberry describes the epiphanous moment that led to GE's two-decade slogan, "Bringing Good Things to Life." He then weaves an entertaining narrative around the clients and campaigns that defined his career: HBO ("There's no place like HBO"), Pepsi ("Generation Next"), Cingular ("Raising the Bar"), even President Reagan's 1984 re-election campaign ("Morning in America"), and others.

Dusenberry pays brief lip service to the science of advertising, describing the kind of background research that underlies great ad campaigns, but he admits a greater faith in gut instinct and the all-important insights that drove his clients' success. The alternative? Dullness and failure. According to the opinionated and colorful Dusenberry, overly careful reliance on empirical data leads to copycat advertising, which in turn produces the worst of all situations: a "parity economy" in which goods and services are relatively commoditized, without the kind of special differentiation that creates lasting businesses.

Instead, Dusenberry exhorts his readers proverbially to "move the needle" in non-trivial ways, to get "sauce on your sleeve," to "stand for something," and every once in awhile, when circumstances warrant, to make the boldest of all moves, "betting the farm." These axiomatic phrases might seem trite from another author, but somehow, Dusenberry makes them seem trenchant with his never-ending stories. In one of the newer stories, for example, he recounts how BBDO staged a pro bono campaign for New York City shortly after the 9-11 terrorist attacks, using celebrities such as Henry Kissinger, Robert DeNiro, Billy Crystal, Ben Stiller, and Barbara Walters to illustrate the power of the dreams that draw so many young people to the city, even today.

It's those powerful dreams that have become lost in so much advertising today, and which Dusenberry recalls in spades. While his playfully titled volume cannot be taken as a comprehensive, scientific manual for better advertising, it does well in reminding us of the qualities from advertising's origins that remain ever-relevant. --Peter Han

Book Description

According to advertising legend Phil Dusenberry, business ideas may or may not be valuable, but true insights are much rarer than ideas and much more precious. A good idea can inspire one commercial. But a good insight can fuel a thousand ideas, a thousand commercials. An insight gives you an entirely new way of thinking about your business.

Consider just a few of the breakthrough insights that Dusenberry's agency, BBDO, has offered their clients over the years: That General Electric's unifying tagline should be “We bring good things to life.” That Pepsi should be targeting the “Pepsi Generation.” That Ronald Reagan's 1984 reelection theme should be “Morning in America.” That Visa should compare itself with American Express, not MasterCard. Talk about moving the needle!

Dusenberry argues that these brainstorms don't come out of thin air, even at a world class organization like BBDO. They are actually the result of a rigorous and disciplined process of insight generation, one that any manager in any type of business can adopt. Dusenberry explains this process—Research, Analysis, Insight, Strategy, and Execution (RAISE)—in plain English. And he offers examples of some of the greatest business insights of our time, from the birth of Federal Express to the positioning of HBO.

Moving the Needle will help businesspeople get to the heart of their toughest problems.

Customer Reviews:

Probably one of the truly best, and important, business books I've read.......2006-04-25

And I've read A LOT. This one, however, goes behind the scenes on how a product lets the consumer know it's here by a "memorable" campaign, not the the 24/7 onslaught of pop-ups or product placement or posters-in-public-bathrooms that we have been experiencing of late. It's enough to make a person wistful for the good ol' days of advertising. I'm NOT in the business, but I can still remember each and every ad Dusenberry mentioned. (And I can still recite: Two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun! :-) ) At the same time, I can't remember a single ad that aired last night during "Desperate Housewives." Newcomers may blow off the meanderings of a mere high-school graduate who "did good" in advertising, but from this consumer's viewpoint, Dusenberry GOT it, and that's an insight I'll cherish.

An Insightful book.......2006-01-06

What an amazing book. I loved it! I'm in the advertising industry so I expected the book to be relevant to my career - but the book offers so much more to anyone from a small business owner to a CEO of a large corporation. Everyone would appreciate reading this book. The focus is on insight rather than clever ideas. The pages are full of witty stories of tried and true (and not so successful) experiences of a legendary ad man. I highly recommend this book.

Ogilvy would've been proud.......2005-11-21

I was sent this book for free but I must admit that initially I didn't really feel too excited about either the author or the topic owing to my aversion to the Madison Ave advertising industry in general. When I did open it I was expecting to read about how great the advertising industry was and how Dusenberry was the cheerleader for it. Not so.

Dusenberry actually steps back a level and talks about life managing the creative and marketing strategy behind some of the world's best-known brands such as Pepsi and Dupont. This book isn't so much about advertising and marketing as it is about the "ah hah!" moment that leads to insight into a product or service that then forms the platform upon which a successful campaign is built. In other words, years of marketing effort can be driven by a fleeting moment in time and Dusenberry talks about how these fleeting moments come to be.

Dusenberry doesn't talk about Madison Avenue really nor does he pretend to be anything other than the creative filter for BBDO through which the good ideas get through. He tries to instill a sense of wonder and engagement in the reader to bring out the best and wildest ideas that might help to launch a new product or service. Although he didn't say as much, I suspect his ideas and insights are as valid for a 1-person startup company as for a 10,000-person conglomerate.

If you're a marketer or advertiser, internet or not, you'll really enjoy this book. I would also recommend it to budding entrepreneurs who are looking for some enlightenment and guidance on trusting their instincts about launching their product or service.

Almost set my hair on fire...........2005-10-12

The book's content is easy going and refreshing in its tone and what I would classify as a good read which at times I found hard not to pick up and try to finish at any spare moment. Dusenberry's belief in the power of insights is bang on the mark and he uses examples throughout on supporting the ideaology of the need for such insights and their applications in business. As an ad man I personally found the content very interesting and the anecdotal comments on various campaigns and developments were used for maximum effect albeit light on depth.
Enjoy...

A Book Full of Business Wisdom.......2005-10-03

In this book, the author talks about the importance of having business insights over having business ideas. Having a correct insight can generate a lot of ideas that can be turned into action. An insight expresses an "incontrovertible truth" that is relevant to consumers. An example is the insight that GE brings good things to life. Good and effective advertising has to be based on insights about a product/service/brand and what it can offer to its customers.

Insights, in turn, are largely derived from the correct interpretation of objective research data. Moreover, negative data about the shortcomings of a product/service can contribute to the discovery of insights better than positive data.

The author goes on to discuss the steps a company should take in order survive and grow. First, it has to shout to the world that it is here. Then it has to keep moving the correct needles - making small success in increasing sales, gaining market shares, etc. Sometimes, it is forced to take offense against competitors in a tactful manner. After a company has become the leader in its industry, the job remaining is staying number one through increasing its market share or growing the overall market. Lastly, the author discusses how to manage a group of people that are creative. He gives a few principles for nurturing and keeping high-quality creativity in an ad agency.

One theme that is repeated in the book is the fact that, the success of a brand hinges on its ability to build an emotional bond with its customers. This emotional bond will translate to trust and loyalty.

The writing style of this book is that of a memoir. The author conveys wisdom and authority without appearing to be conceited. He sounds like a good mentor to younger people.

I have learned a lot about marketing and advertising through reading this book.

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