Relevance: Making Stuff That Matters

by Tim Manners

Branding expert Tim Manners says that marketers should give up the flashy practices and group- think of the last 50 years - the demographics- driven strategies, fashion-obsessed images and old-fashioned advertising - and focus on what today's consumers care about. Manners argues that some once-powerful companies are in trouble because they've lost their relevance. Drawing on scores of examples including Tesco and Virgin Megastores and interviews with...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1591842204
• ISBN13: 9781591842200
• Release Date: September 2008
• Publisher: Portfolio
• Length: 280 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.3" x 7.2"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

A Book Whose Time Has CLEARLY Come

I was fortunate to be awarded a copy of the book for sharing my thoughts about the brand most relevant to me. As I started reading, I found myself nodding in acknowledgment of these basic nuggets of wisdom as to why traditional advertising just "ain't what it used to be." At last, the idea that it is time to let go of demographics is upon us! What an insightful book. I so appreciated the fact that the book itself was relevant in its clarity and simplicity regarding what sound marketing today is all about. I've got shelves of business tomes that are overwritten with so many parenthetical expressions I can't go back and find the actual beginning of the sentence. I especially appreciated the story on radio since my son also began his aspired career in radio. Happily he wound up in health care public relations earning far more than the "four and out the door" salary of a small station radio. But back to Relevance; the one-on-one discussions with brand leaders were great sound bites that made sense and provided meaningful information. As an avid Cool News fan I had a feeling the tenor of the book would have the same crispness and punch. Tim Manners did not disappoint. As a writer and marketing consultant, the actually proved beneficial since I used it to recommend a nontraditional, consumer relevant marketing strategy to a new client. Lastly, thought it was great that Tim acknowledged his Dad for teaching him to cook, sew and iron. I look forward more Relevance. Keep up the great work. Joan Mansbach

You're Nothing If You're Not Relevant

Organizations entering a new era which is calling for changes in how they approach their branding. Many of the trivial ideas about marketing and branding are being tossed to the wayside and a more focused and relevant approach to branding is emerging. Bottom-line: You're Nothing If You're Not Relevant. Look at the Segway. Over 5 years later and the company MAY have finally reached their predicted 10,000 units sold mark, which was expected to come in just months. Tim looks at what relevance is and how brands are finding it. Some of his stories and examples surprise you.

Many practical applications!

Albright & O'Malley Consults country music radio stations around the world, and after reading "Relevance," I bought a copy for each of our clients. Today, radio reaches almost 95% of the population in an average week. Yet, as new media emerge, there's only one way to keep that listening level and that's by understanding the power of "Relevance." The book is a great teaching tool, for example, for radio personalities to be sure that their personal brand story, as well as that of their radio station, remains relevant to an increasingly-values-driven audience.

Read this Now!

I have read dozens of books on marketing. No one quite gets it like Manners. A couple of reasons why this is an absolute "must read": -There are a ton of stories and lessons you can apply to your own organization. -This is not a "new marketing,""new media,""change or die" sort of book. It is a practical examination of how the profession of marketing is changing and what you must do to remain relevant. -Manners storytelling and analysis really resonate. You will be smarter for reading this.

Really Relevant Marketing

As a seasoned marketing observer and as a prominent on-line and print marketing publisher, Manners shares a wealth of experience in a crisply written, laser-focused book. What dramatically increases its importance are the current observations of almost 100 chief marketing officers who are gatekeepers of the world's reading brands. This is a book that should be on every marketer's bookshelf and in the hands of their subordinates. It lays out a clear road map of what makes a brand relevant ... and how it can be accomplished.