Author: David Meerman Scott
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Reviewer: Paul Maher, head of content services, Fourth Day PR
If you work in marketing or PR there won’t be a huge amount in this book that you’ve not read before. But that’s not to say you shouldn’t own a copy. The new rules of marketing and PR (How to use social media, online video, mobile applications, blogs, news releases, and viral marketing to reach buyers directly) provides an essential reference book that offers value to all working in this field.
It provides an ideal introduction to current industry methods and techniques, making it essential reading for young professionals or a business owner looking for new ways to reach customers. For seasoned professionals it also offers an excellent benchmark for a range of marketing channels.
First published in 2006, this is David Meerman Scott’s fifth edition, and he has done an excellent job keeping each edition up to date with the latest trends. He couples these with plenty of real life examples that demonstrate how these tactics, when deployed by the right business in the right way, can produce great success.
You will first have to get yourself past the author’s self-aggrandisement at the beginning of the book, where he insists his bestseller is a ‘global phenomenon’. But get past this and the book is actually very readable. Written in a conversational style, Meerman Scott has a tendency to throw up questions and suggest solutions rather than being overly preachy.
This makes the New rules a thought provoking read. At one point he asks whether whitepapers should carry the author’s name rather than being attributed to a brand. This small innocuous comment had me rethinking my own approach.
Given the scope of the book, there’s a fair chance similar nuggets are lying in there ready to be unearthed by other marketers. So rather than just leave this book on the shelf to reference whenever you are thinking of introducing a new marketing tactic, it is worth giving the New rules a proper read through, as you might just find some gold.
