The End of Marketing as We Know It

Rating:
Summary: A must read for anyone serious about marketing.
Review: For about three years in the 1980's I worked very closely with Sergio Zyman when my firm created the packaging graphics for the launch of Diet Coke, New Coke and then Classic Coke. From that day to this, I've always said he was the smartest marketing mind I'd ever encountered. His stunning book The End of Marketing as We Know It, confirms that assessment. Zyman has a radical underlying premise: marketing's goal is to sell products. It's not about image, awareness, share of mind but about getting, to paraphrase what he used to say, "the dogs to eat the dog food." And significantly, continuing to give them more reasons to eat an ever growing amount. Profits are the objective and setting a cohesive scientific strategy is the marketer's responsibility and key to success. The book is vintage Zyman - his personality comes through, a man who refreshingly isn't into hiding who he is. Some will focus on that. Get over it. This is a must read for anyone serious about marketing. If it doesn't get you thinking and, more importantly, acting, it may be time to look for another line of work.

Rating:
Summary: Good ideas, not enough detail
Review: I feel this book does a good job in explaining the concepts of sound marketing but does not go into enough detail on how they should be used. I do agree with the author about the need to develop a sound strategy when selling or marketing a product. The topic then is often not discussed after that point leaving the reader with more questions than answers. This was the case in the following examples.

The book focuses exclusively on consumer products and does not addresss business to business marketing issues. Business to business marketing requires more focus on developing solutions that this book does not address.

The book addresses topics such as the importance of developing sound strategy, the impact of the Internet, and dimensions but then does not into the detail on how a marketing person should use these tools or develop strategies that will increase sales.

The book uses several examples from Coca Cola that talk about the decisions that were made but little about the needs of the marketplace at that time. This gave the book the feel of an autobiography.

I do think that the author has several good ideas but could have benefited from more depth that would provide more explicit answers on these issues.

Rating:
Summary: Very convincing... Very convincing indeed
Review: THE END OF MARKETING AS WE KNOW IT. It's a great business book to add to your collection. Firstly - what is it about? Why is Marketing going to die? Well - Sergio Zyman explains (and convinces) that the majority of people in marketing these days believe that the only thing they have to do in order to be successful is to simply be creative. What a joke. That is no business, definetely no part of Sergio's business. Rather, Sergio states that the NEW WAY OF MARKETING will be based 100% on results, and getting people to buy more of your product. Winning an advertising award in your company, or merely, knowing that people in your workplace are saying how creative you are - means nothing. If you don't have a strategy, which is aimed at producing better results than you are currently recording - you really need to pull up your socks and realize; that because of people like you - the end of marketing is approaching... rapidly.

When business' are losing market share, and need to cut back on something - a vast array of business first cut money from their marketing department. THis is completely ludicrous, as the only way to increase market share, is to implement a new, or work on the current, marketing strategy. This book goes beyond what a textbook will teach you about marketing. Throw away those Kotler books, because watch out, this Mexican, who is the former CMO of the Coca-Cola company - convinces that results are the only thing business is about - especially marketing.

I really liked the book. It's not too heavy - thats probably why I liked it. However, one thing I would love to ask Sergio is his views on Marketing being a Science. This is the only thing that should have been expained more in depth. Maybe that can be your next book! He backs this up with nothing much at all other than the fact that you must test, test and test again. And that you have to experiment, measure, analyze, refine, and implement. How does this differ to an art?

But, other than that - I really liked it. Enjoy the read, he is quite a character!! I'm off to read the end of Advertising!

Rating:
Summary: Wow! A fantastic book for those passionate about Marketing.
Review: This book (which by the way is very easy to read) is a must for all marketers who are passionate about marketing and who understand that marketing IS business! To have someone like Sergio Zyman, who's been at the pinnacle of consumer marketing, share his insights is a real privilege - and, like the experienced business genius that he is, he does it so well. I recommend this book to those in both small business and big business. It is, without doubt, one of the best business books I have read in a long, long time. Extremely practical too! Thank you, Sergio!

Rating:
Summary: Where's the beef
Review: This book by Sergio Zyman is an interesting perspective into the mind of the ex-Coca Cola executive.There are a several nuggets of value in the book, which are based on Sergio's experiences at Coca-Cola. At times he does wax on about things outside his domain of knowledge without throughly researched facts to back up his musings. However, as a perpective of his thought process, and in particular, the impact of some marketing moves at the firm, the book makes an interesting read.

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Summary: Great info for all business people
Review: When a colleague handed me a copy of The End of Marketing As We Know It by Sergio Zyman, former chief marketing officer of The Coca-Cola Company, I had two reactions.

One was enthusiasm. I'd learn some things from a real pro and become better at what I do. The second was a wary feeling. Because Zyman is a pro, I was afraid the book would be full of "expert jargon" - over my head, dry, and reading like a textbook.

After reading the book, I'm wholly enthusiastic about it. The End of Marketing As We Know It is a good read - Zyman teaches with plenty of good examples, encourages one to think about one's own experiences and methods, and has an entertaining, conversational tone that keeps the book from becoming dry or "heavy." It's the first book in a very long time that I've wanted to re-read right after finishing it. As someone who writes features for a business magazine and also does PR and advertising, I found Zyman's words relevant and invaluable.

Everyone in business should read this book - and not just the folks in the marketing/advertising department, and not just the big companies. Its content is pertinent to overall business strategy, because it focuses on marketing as a business, or a science - producing measurable results in the form of increased sales rather than merely running some ads that may be appealing and even award-winning but aren't doing anything for the company's bottom line.

Readers will learn why it's important to form a marketing strategy and make regular measurements to test its success. They'll learn ways to position a product - their own and their competitor's - in the minds of consumers. And that continually presenting a brand in fresh and different ways - and in different markets - is essential to keeping sales up. And much more. Whether or not you agree with all of Zyman's methods, this book will definitely make you think and may even rescue you from stale, dead-in-the-water viewpoints about marketing.

Rating:
Summary: Easy read, great ideas
Review: Zyman writes a book that is easy to read, simple to understand and useful. From someone who obviously understands successful marketing, he strips away the mistique and explains the simple truth; The purpose of marketing is to sell stuff. His methods are applicable not only to large mutinational sales companies but to virtually any business. Set your strategy and goals, find out what really works and what doesn't. Use those that work and stop using what doesn"t. Not rocket science but the best business strategy in the world.