Rating: 
Summary: A ¿Must-Read¿ for Marketing Professionals
Review: This book is a wake-up call to both the advertising and PR industries, and a "must-read" for any marketing professional - especially those just starting out. It is also smart reading for any CEO or executive with more than a passing interest in the success of his or her company's marketing and sales. It is one antidote to the branding confusion that persists in the wake of the Internet Bubble era. Citing example after example, the authors make a compelling, clear and simple argument in favor of their single overall theme: that PR works better than advertising for building new brands, while advertising is better at maintaining existing brands once a brand's PR has run its course. A significant although secondary theme is that "creative" advertising campaigns (e.g., unusual concepts that win awards but fail to move the product - like the Pets.com sock puppet on the cover) are almost always a big waste of money. It is the latter point, more than the rise of PR, which will no doubt cause many advertising professionals great fits of dyspepsia. Several other secondary themes offer some real insight and hit the nail on the head, in the opinion of this reviewer, a PR pro for more than 20 years. For those who take this advice seriously, this book offers as strong an argument as has ever been made for giving the PR function a seat at the Marketing table or in the Boardroom. The fact that the authors do not offer how-to advice on mounting the PR campaigns they advocate adds to, rather than detracts from, their credibility. They are not shilling for the PR industry because they are not PR professionals and do no PR in their consulting work. Indeed, both of their backgrounds are from the advertising side. They also know that every PR campaign is different and no cookie cutter advice would offer much value. Mr. Ries, now partnered in consulting with his daughter, is the author with his former partner Jack Trout of several seminal marketing books going back 20-plus years. Many credit them with inventing (or at least popularizing) the concept and practice of positioning in their classic book, "Positioning: the Battle for Your Mind." Coming from such a widely respected source, the advertising and PR communities cannot afford to ignore the authors' advice. Even those professionals who end up disagreeing with some of their conclusions will not be able to read this book without gaining some useful insights. Very thought provoking and highly recommended. Advertising and PR people alike should keep it in mind whenever they talk to their bosses or clients about what it takes to build, maintain or enhance a brand. (Caution: While it's an easy read, this book was intended for professionals. If you are not in advertising, PR, marketing, sales, or executive management, do not bother reading it. You probably will not understand it or be interested in it or gain any insights of use to you.)
Rating:
Summary: A Vision for Public Relations
Review: This book is arguably the most important book for an up and coming PR rock star. It's a quick and concise read that inhibits the reader from setting the book down. It has an obvious command of research, insight and principle. For those account executives with the mind for vision and strategy -- this book is a must read. Indeed it may just define the future leadership of the PR industry. The Fall of Advertising and the Rise of PR makes a credible argument for the brand building function and subsequent market leadership success, which only insightful public relations campaigns can establish. To that end, this book is the application of value-added integration that author Thomas L. Harris discussed in years gone by. This book articulates a vision and path to follow for the public relations industry. Additionally, Ries & Ries have an unparalleled understanding of task and purpose. As this book rightfully, if not partially, contends, we PR folks should redefine the constructs of our mission and duty description. Perhaps then we can even launch something of a brand of our own.
Rating:
Summary: Fresh Look
Review: This highly readable and interesting and insightful book should be compulsory reading for anyone involved in deciding where a company's marketing funds are spent. The authors speak some serious truths about advertising and how it is misused and overused and about public relations and how it is under-used. Here is the book's essential idea: advertising can't buy you a brand identity, and if you try to spend your way to it, you will just be throwing your money away. The book explains why and along the way you pick up how to build a brand, what advertising is designed for, and learn a lot about ad agencies and how they believe that their job begins and ends at being creative without regard to whether the ad agency's product makes the client money. It supplies the reader an ample supply of helpful hypotheses, graphs, stats, and insight, into the world of Advertising and PR. I found this book to be both educational and helpful. It's a fun read, and if it doesn't make you sit back and take a long look at your own strategic thinking, maybe you should read it again.
Rating: 
Summary: This book is going to upset a lot of people
Review: Trying to build your brand with advertising?
Then don't!
Attempting to convince your target audience of your brand's claims through paid space or time lacks a key incredient vital to success - credibility.
What do you believe - what's reported on the evening television news, or the advertising which precedes and punctuates it?
As customers we're cynical, suspicious, and cautious. We see the majority of advertising as biased, self-serving, and company rather than consumer-oriented. So we turn to independent, authoritative, third-party sources for recommendations and advice - friends, relatives, neighbours, and the media.
When we've made up our minds, advertising serves as a reminder.
Some business people say they rely on "word of mouth" marketing, leaving that process to its own devices. Others feel the outcome for their bottom line is too important to leave to chance.
Advertising doesn't build brands. Public relations does. You should use advertising to defend your brand against competitors once it's been built - and its credibility established - through PR. That's this book's main conclusion.
Al Ries is going to upset a lot of people. As they say, "some of my best friends" are advertising people, but sorry guys, what Ries has to say needs to be said. Things like:
- "Advertising has no legitimate role to play in brand building. Advertising's role is defensive in nature. Advertising can only protect a brand once it's established." This is Ries' central thesis which he illustrates with copious case studies.
- Ad agencies often sell advertising to clients on the basis of their own creativity. "Creativity wins awards, but does it also win sales?" asks Ries. He has chapters of evidence to the contrary.
- "Advertising agencies do almost no advertising themselves. Instead, they rely heavily on PR techniques to build their own brands." True again.
- People tend to judge the value of a discipline by its numbers and ad schedules are invariably bigger than PR budgets. But more money doesn't necessarily mean more effective.
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