War in the Boardroom: Why Left-Brain Management and Right-Brain Marketing Don't See Eye-To-Eye--And What to Do about It

by Al Ries, ローラ・ライズ, Laura Ries

Book Overview

Renowned business gurus Al and Laura Ries give a blow-by-blow account of the battle between management and marketing--and argue that the solution lies not in what we think but in how we think There's a reason why the marketing programs of the auto industry, the airline industry, and many other industries are not only ineffective, but bogged down by chaos and confusion. Management minds are not on the same wavelength as marketing minds. What makes a good chief executive? A person who is highly verbal, logical, and analytical. Typical characteristics of a left brainer. What makes a good marketing executive? A person who is highly visual, intuitive, and holistic. Typical characteristics of a right brainer. These different mind-sets often result in conflicting approaches to branding, and the Ries' thought-provoking observations--culled from years on the front lines--support this conclusion, including: Management deals in reality. Marketing deals in perception. Management demands better products. Marketing demands different products. Management deals in verbal abstractions. Marketing deals in visual hammers. Using some of the world's most famous brands and products to illustrate their argument, the authors convincingly show why some brands succeed (Nokia, Nintendo, and Red Bull) while others decline (Saturn, Sony, and Motorola). In doing so, they sound a clarion call: to survive in today's media-saturated society, managers must understand how to think like marketers--and vice versa. Featuring the engaging, no-holds-barred writing that readers have come to expect from Al and Laura Ries, War in the Boardroom offers a fresh look at a perennial problem and provides a game plan for companies that want to break through the deadlock and start reaping the rewards.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061669199
• ISBN13: 9780061669194
• Release Date: February 2009
• Publisher: Harper Business
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.5" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

A Must Read for Marketing and Management people

Finally! Someone has written about the "Wars" we have as Marketing and Advertising people with the CEO's and Management. This book identifies the "bridge" that's available when right-brainers and left-brainers look at branding and advertising. A must read for both sides. Great read.

Marketing Vs. Management

Making marketing a continual science of the mind and pointing out the obvious -no one else can quite see with such clarity, the Ries Family does it again with yet another resource for the MBA marketing student catalog and again so user-friendly for the average marketing everyman who wants to understand why there's still a war in American corporate boardooms - and what to do about it. While their marketing classic "Positioning" book gave insight into how to 'plan your brand' into the minds of your targeted American consumer, "War in the Boardroom" (still leveraging those catchy head icons) addresses the the roadblocks marketers face from management in advancing their brands. One of the most concise quotes in this typical Ries fun-to-read book sums it all up definitively: "Management believes the key to success is developing a better PRODUCT. Marketing believes the key to success is developing a better PERCEPTION." Given the obvious conflict, if you want to take control of your marketing not just focused on your consumer, but on your own boardroom, pick up this book now - it could give you the power to understand what really has been holding your brand back.

Have peace and profit in the boardroom

Al and Laura Ries offer a fresh look at the mess between management and marketing. Great marketers build brands (right-brain) and management (left-brain) usually destroys them. An entertaining page turner that should be required reading for upper management. Each chapter offers a unique take on the growing problem between management and marketing. The book is filled with great examples. It is concise and to the point. With many brands in America suffering more CEO's should take their advice from Al and Laura. A great reading that is thoroughly entertaining. All entrepreneurs should read this book.

Compelling and insightful !

Another must read book from the Ries power house. As a professional marketer, this book is a powerful tool. Josef Cohen/ Marketing research doctorate