Good but dated - skim it, don't read it

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	• Unleashing the Ideavirus Seth Godin, Malcolm Gladwell Hyperion, 2001 - 240 pages average customer review:based on 95 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Good but dated - skim it, don't read it

Unleashing the idea virus is short and covers one simple idea: ideas spread through a population like viruses and by working from this point of view we can tailor and present our products/ideas for maximum spread and persistence.

Godin's idea is a simple one and relevant. Basically consumers have progressed to a point where they stop paying attention once they realized that they are being advertised to. So advertisers have to find a new approach. Godin's suggestion is that advertisers make it as easy as possible for consumers to recommend a product to one another. By using the analogy of a contagious idea to a virus spreading like a force of nature, he points out examples of successful products that have benefitted from this type of hype (whether or not they intentionally created the hype).

The main problem I have with this book is that it is starting to feel dated already and it only came out 4 years ago. Most of the examples Godin uses are internet-based. For example he describes the hot new cartoon that was circulating when he wrote Unleashing the Idea Virus. Rather than illustrating his example I found myself on a trip down memory fondly recalling 1999. This happened quite a bit.

So Godin has a compelling idea that makes sense with regards to marketing, however his presentation is very dated and it distracted me. This is a short book so it is probably still worth your time to read it. I recommend Malcome Gladwell's The Tipping Point for a much less dated and to me more interesting discussion of similar issues.

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On Audio too

Listened to the audio tape on the way to work and I applied several ideas within the first day. This book opened a new world of marketing ideas...certainly not the same old stuff. He practices what he preaches and I'm telling all my friends (sneezing)about it.

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Pre-dot.com crash advice predominates

If you want to understand the process of how an idea is easily spread via Internet, this book is interesting indeed. But be aware that it was written BEFORE the dot.com crash, when the general thinking was that great name-recognition was more important than profits. Godin actually recommends that you give everything away for free, that the money will come in later. I was disappointed that the book so closely followed the model which proved to be a failure: I have millions of web site visitors, but no income, I must have a great business here! It is an interesting book if you are a non-profit org and/or literally just want to spread an idea. If you are trying to make a profit, read this with a grain of salt.

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Conquer the World...Again!

Every great marketing idea creates a new set of consumer defenses. The real trick is to stay several steps ahead of your competition and keep the ideas new and fresh.

Seth Godin offers some good advice, realistic overviews, and usable tactics to help you get and stay ahead with "Unleashing the Ideavirus".

Whether you want to step up your online or offline marketing, Godin will get you pumped to go out and conquer the world...again!

Very Good Read

Once upon a time this book must have been groundbreaking. But for someone who is just beginning to delve into the topic of marketing, I found it a very good read.

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recommendations

Ultimate Word of Mouth (WOM) Marketing Books
On Becoming a better Human Being
Word of Mouth Marketing Books
Starting your Business
The Seth Godin Library

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