Buzz: Harness the Power of Influence and Create Demand

How to master the power of buzz
Trendspotters and bestselling authors Marian Salzman and Ira Matathia demystify buzz and show how marketers can create and leverage it for the success of their products and services. The world we inhabit is in constant flux, and the captive audience on which advertisers relied for years no longer exists. Branding today requires a flexibility and creativity that have thus far eluded many traditional practitioners. When there is no clear forum for communicating your brand message to the audience, you must have your audience do it for you. The authors show how and why buzz works, examining case studies like Kate Spade, Madonna, Bulgari, Ford, Nokia, and French Connection. They explore the role specific consumer groups play in setting trends, show how influence works, reveal the efficacy of shock ads, and explain how to manage brand momentum. This book is a dynamic guide that sheds new light on the topic of buzz using real-world examples and case studies that show how marketers can manufacture the seemingly authentic word-of-mouth to which today's cynical consumer responds.

MARIAN SALZMAN is a seasoned advertising executive and one of the world’s leading trendspotters. Chief Strategy Officer at Euro RSCG Worldwide, she is also the coauthor, with Ira Matathia and Ann O’Reilly, of the international bestseller Next: Trends for the Near Future. A trailblazer who was awarded the first online market-research franchise on AOL, Salzman is widely considered to be the inventor of online focus groups.
IRA MATATHIA is the bestselling coauthor of Next. He is also the Managing Director at Euro RSCG, MVBMS Partners, and a former president of Chiat/Day in Canada and New York. He is a well-known speaker on the international circuit.
ANN O’REILLY is a writer and editor who has worked for agencies such as Chiat/Day and Young & Rubicam. She currently serves as Editorial Director of S.T.A.R. (Strategic Trendspotting and Research) at Euro RSCG, and is also coauthor of Next.