Beyond Maxi-Marketing

The authors of Maximarketing and The Great Marketing Turnaround take readers to the next step with a breakthrough book that shows how compan ies like Nestle, Lego, and Dell Computers are learning how to translate success into practical action, going beyond "Maximarketing" to the new power of caring and daring. Illustrations.

In this work Rapp and Collins, cofounders of an advertising agency, validate the marketing model they presented in their earlier opus, Maximarketing (McGraw, 1987). They argue that consumers today are more value-conscious and hence more difficult to persuade through mass-media advertising. To be successful today, the marketer must stringently define his/her customer, reach the customer through targeted media, and add value to that relationship beyond just the sale of the product or service. Most of the book consists of brief histories of companies that have successfully implemented "maximarketing" strategies. The style is upbeat, though the reiteration of rhyming sound bites throughout (" caring and daring ," " gain with pain ," etc.) detracts from the power of the concepts presented. A practical choice for libraries.
- Edward Buller, "Natural History," American Museum of Natural History, N.Y.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Rapp and Collins show that traditional methods of communications are no longer successful in building businesses. Their acronym for the 1990s is "TRC," or total relationship commitment, indicating that involvement with individuals, even small groups of like-minded souls, will pay off. After rehashing their maximarketing principles, they profile 15 companies, from manufacturers like LEGO Systems to retailers such as National Brands Outlet. Each includes in-depth interviews and details of programs. Harley-Davidson, for example, woos owners and dealers through its network of clubs, events, and licensed merchandise, among other programs, whereas Fidelity Investments promotes soft-sell information to its customers. Yet, is advertising, as they claim, truly dead? Only consumers know for sure. Barbara Jacobs