Armchair Economist: Economics & Everyday Life

Al Ries, Laura Ries

The Fall of Advertising and the Rise of PR

Bestselling authors and world-renowned marketing strategists Al and Laura Ries usher in the new era of public relations. Today's major brands are born with publicity, not advertising. A closer look at the history of the most successful modern brands shows this to be true. In fact, an astonishing number of brands, including Palm, Starbucks, the Body Shop, Wal-Mart, Red Bull and Zara have been built with virtually no advertising. Using in-depth case histories of successful PR campaigns coupled with those of unsuccessful advertising campaigns, The Fall of Advertising provides valuable ideas for marketers -- all the while demonstrating why advertising lacks credibility, the crucial ingredient in brand building, and how only PR can supply that credibility; the big bang approach advocated by advertising people should be abandoned in favor of a slow build-up by PR; advertising should only be used to maintain brands once they have been established through publicity. Bold and accessible, The Fall of Advertising is bound to turn the world of marketing upside down.

Alpha Books

Every Manager's Desk Reference

Providing self-contained how-to sections, this reference guide includes contributions from leading experts in the fields of managing organizations, marketing, stress and time management, and customer service.

Park Davis, Susannah Craig

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Running a Bed and Breakfast

This book holds all the secrets to opening and running a successful inn. It gives you guidelines for choosing a profitable location and describes a day in the life of the average inn owner. You can find information about how to write up a business plan, what to include on you Web site, what "house rules" you need to set up to keep your guests and your investment safe, and how to use your own personal touch to make your inn unique.