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Book reviews for "Marconi,_Joe" sorted by average review score:

Cause Marketing: Build Your Image and Bottom Line Through Socially Responsible Partnerships, Programs, and Events
Published in Hardcover by Dearborn Trade Publishing (2002)
Authors: Joe Marconi and Robert H. Dunn
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The ROI of Social Responsibility
Marconi has made a valuable contribution to the on-going dialogue about marketing by explaining how to "build image and bottom line through socially responsible partnerships, programs, and events." Presumably he agrees with John Hill that PR is "truth well-told." The most effective marketing programs, those which create or increase demand, include PR initiatives. As we all know, there are negative connotations of PR because it is not always truthful even if well-told. Marconi notes that "there has been a dramatic increase in the allocation of funds from marketing budgets that provide some benefit to nonprofit organizations. The expenditure of these funds to serve the interests of both the company and the community has come to be known as [in italics] cause marketing." The one-year anniversary of 9/11 caused major corporations and their agencies to question whether or not to advertise on that tragic date. Their concern was that any advertising, however thoughtful and sensitive, could be perceived as self-serving. That is a legitimate concern. In Chapter 5, Marconi cites six examples of "self-serving and opportunistic" initiatives during a national period of sadness following 9/11. Here's one: "Morrell & Company announced in a full-page ad that it would hold a 'Grapes of Grief and Gratitude' benefit wine auction for families of the New York firefighters, police, and emergency response professionals." This is cause marketing at its worst.

Marconi also includes many examples of cause marketing at its best. That is to say, marketing which establishes contact with those who buy and use their products and services or support their issues and will feel better for doing so. "Cause marketing seeks to take the process even further when the marketer for a company (1) identifies a cause that the company can embrace and believe in, and (2) makes a connection with the constituent group that shares the company's dedication to that cause." What we have here, then, is a cohesive and comprehensive explanation of how to plan and then implement "cause marketing" at its best. Eminently worthwhile organizations receive at least some of the support they urgently need; those who provide that support, who demonstrate corporate social responsibility with active community involvement, generally "do well by doing good."

But here's a key point: Unless such support and involvement are -- and are perceived to be -- both appropriate and authentic (i.e. sincere), they invariably do irreparable damage to an organization's credibility. Marconi explains this point while examining a number of case studies of both effective and counter-productive cause marketing. All things considered, people generally prefer to do business with those with whom they share the same values and, better yet, with whom they share the same loyalties. It is obvious to his reader that Marconi cares deeply about corporate social responsibility and active community involvement. It would be a mistake, however, to assume that they should be primarily assumed by major corporations. Where I live, independent merchants generously support fundraising activities by local schools, athletic teams, and churches of all denominations. Their contributions are both monetary and non-monetary, donated because they want to be "good citizens," joining with others in the support of worthwhile causes. Of course, some of this "good will" results in additional business but that is not the merchants' motive.

In the final chapter of this book, Marconi reviews the rules, reasons, and rewards of cause marketing. They provide wise and practical guidance to any organization or individual either involved in "cause marketing" now or considering it. Once having read the book, I again reflected on the groundswell of responses to the tragedies which occurred on 9/11/01. Marconi suggests (and I agree) that principled cause marketing doesn't wait for "the next dark day" to fulfill itself. Rather, it should be an on-going process which responds to or creates opportunities to "make a difference," indeed to make a significant difference and for the better. Its ROI cannot easily be measured in terms of sales and profits. Those involved in cause marketing worthy of the name appreciate how important it is and know that its value to society is incalculable.


The Complete Guide To Publicity
Published in Paperback by McGraw-Hill Trade (11 March, 1999)
Author: Joe Marconi
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Wonderful Piece
Marconi obviously knows what he's talking about. He knows how great publicity is. I'm struggling to get my band into the papers and I'm tryin' and I'm tryin' and I keep getting the hard slap to the face. I mean, how are people gonna know where we're playin'?!

I loved this book! I liked Michael Levine's Guerrilla PR: Wired more, especially for the net stuff. But, Marconi is a good all-arounder. Totally covers all the stuff from the net to the unnet. Lots o' tips and stuff. Like I said, Marconi knows what he's talking 'bout.

Great stuff!

One of the best books on publicity I have seen
Packed with good information and easy to read. If you are a writer- you should get this book

A great publicity primer!
Everything presented in this book will help those charged with the task of generating publicity. Fundamentally, it must be remembered that publicity is just that, it is not paid advertising, it must be managed, but cannot be completely controlled. The goal of the publicist is to provide relevant, newsworthy, information, which will be deemed to be of interest to a target audience. Present the media with an honest, credible, story, that will help them accomplish their goals (attracting more viewers, selling more papers or magazines, or attracting more interested readers to a web site) and your story is more likely to be heard by those you desire to reach.

"The Complete Guide to Publicity" clearly defines publicity, what it is and is not, what to expect from a publicity effort, as well as the particulars to consider when dealing with various media and attempting to target specific audiences with your story.

An excellent introduction to the strategy and structure of a publicity campaign!


The Brand Marketing Book
Published in Hardcover by McGraw-Hill Trade (11 November, 1999)
Author: Joe Marconi
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NIce book for a nice lesson
This book is really nice book, but there is a little BUT. In my opinion it is a little bit expensive. May be because it is new or may be because of some other reasons. But if you are lookingfor the book in branding then BUY IT!


The Brand Marketing Book
Published in Hardcover by McGraw-Hill Trade (11 November, 1999)
Author: Joe Marconi
Amazon base price: $27.97
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NIce book for a nice lesson
This book is really nice book, but there is a little BUT. In my opinion it is a little bit expensive. May be because it is new or may be because of some other reasons. But if you are lookingfor the book in branding then BUY IT!


Image Marketing: Using Public Perceptions to Attain Business Objectives
Published in Hardcover by McGraw-Hill/Contemporary Books (1996)
Author: Joe Marconi
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Image Marketing: Using Public Perceptions to Attain Busines
Totally lacking in substance, the author never tells the reader that Image is the sum of attitudes and beliefs, that it can be measured and altered using specific techniques. Full of drivel, musings, and short-of-the-mark examples would be bad enough! Ask yourself two questions: Which Credit Card Company uses the phrase "It's everywhere you want to be"? AND who was the American General made famous by his role in Desert Storm? Of course, they are VISA and "Stormin' Norman Schwartzkopf, right? Well Marconi blunders on these examples in the book by citing American Express, and ARNOLD Schwartzkopf. (page 89 and 134). Gimme a Break.

Straight talk about images
This book reads like a conversation with a marketing expert. I enjoyed its easy, conversational presentation, unlike the usual textbook tone of so many business books. The author obviously knows his subject well and presents case studies in an interesting, straightforward manner. I found it entertaining as well as helpful.


Beyond Branding: How Savvy Marketers Build Brand Equity to Create Products and Open New Markets
Published in Hardcover by Probus Professional Pub (1993)
Author: Joe Marconi
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Great Yet need to motivate me more
This book was great but had few problems in order to make things easy to understand. All in all this book provides good understanding branding.

Tahir Iqbal


Getting the Best from Your Ad Agency: Everything Marketers Need to Know About Working With Agencies from Creative, Media Planning, Budgeting and Mar
Published in Hardcover by Probus Professional Pub (1991)
Author: Joe Marconi
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Out-of-print for a reason!
The premise of this book, written by an ad agency exec, is that corporate clients are clueless morons who just don't realize what geniuses their ad agency guys are. Marconi's answer to "Getting The Best From Your Ad Agency"? Throw a lot of money their way, question nothing, and worship the results. The book is poorly edited with numerous typos, sequencing errors, etc. It also contains outrageous amounts of filler material - a 3 and 1/2 page list of celebrity endorsers and their products, 7 pages of ad slogans going back decades - as well as self-serving examples of "successful" vs. "unsuccessful" ad campaigns (hmm, let me guess whose Chicago based ad agency produced the much lauded campaign for the Chicago Board of Trade.) Waste no time, effort or money tracking this one down.


Future Marketing
Published in Hardcover by McGraw Hill Text (2000)
Author: Joe Marconi
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Reputation Marketing
Published in Hardcover by McGraw-Hill/Contemporary Books (15 November, 2001)
Author: Joe Marconi
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Shock Marketing: Advertising, Influence and Family Values
Published in Hardcover by Bonus Books (1997)
Author: Joe Marconi
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