The End of Advertising as We Know It - Hardcover

"If you ever dreamed of having a power lunch with the one-and-only Z, this book is the next best thing. Z argues that advertising is much more than 30-second TV commercials; for him, it includes branding, packaging, service, and everything else that communicates. Make sure you keep notes as Sergio drops his pearls of wisdom on the truth of advertising and beyond."
-Bernd Schmitt, Author, Experiential Marketing

In this follow-up to the bestseller The End of Marketing as We Know It, Coca-Cola's renowned and outspoken former chief marketing officer argues that current advertising practices are dead. He contends that advertisers have lost sight of their primary goal: to sell the product. Fortunes are wasted on hip, award-winning commercials that often fail to even communicate the brand. The reality of business demands that advertising answer to the bottom line.

Based on his years of experience building and maintaining some of the world's biggest brands, Zyman shows how truly effective advertising involves not only thirty-second TV spots, but also branding, packaging, celebrity spokespeople, sponsorships, publicity, and customer service. The End of Advertising as We Know It presents battle-tested advice for designing truly effective ad campaigns that drive business.

Backed by case studies and hard-won insight, Zyman reinvents advertising as a focused, disciplined, and even scientific process in which every expenditure generates a return. He shows how the most fruitful ad campaigns start with a company-wide strategy from top management that filters down through the organization, influencing all marketing and advertising efforts. He presents a new methodology for analyzing and charting the results of ad campaigns and offers fresh ways to connect with customers. Rethinking traditional advertising methods, he debunks some of the most indestructible myths in the business-like the old saw that any publicity is good publicity. In short, he shows that the rules of the game have changed, and warns advertisers everywhere to wise up to the new set right away.

Today's consumers are bombarded by information and overwhelmed by choice. As a result, advertisers are constantly seeking more inventive ways to reach them, forgetting the industry's true purpose. Sergio Zyman challenges ad agencies to rethink their approach to customer service and the metrics of success. For corporate leaders and advertising professionals alike, The End of Advertising as We Know It presents a plan for effective advertising that does one thing and one thing only-sell the product.

There is only one rule: advertising must sell

"This is Zyman the zealot, wielding howitzers, high explosives and earth-moving equipment. He demolishes myths, fancy theories, and reputations. He returns to the foundations of advertising, which he drills into rock. He builds-or rebuilds-the house of marketing from the ground up. It may not be pretty, but it sure feels storm-proof." --Sir Martin Sorrell, Group Chief Executive, WPP

"Reading Sergio Zyman's new book, I understand why Time magazine named Sergio as one of the three best pitchmen of the 20th century-along with David Ogilvy and Lester Wunderman. I hope CEOs read this book. They will stop wasting their precious dollars on 30-second commercials and start doing some real marketing." --Philip Kotler, S.C. Johnson Distinguished Professor of International Marketing, Kellogg Graduate School of Management, author, Kotler on Marketing and the forthcoming Marketing Insights A to Z

"Sergio is one of the few who recognize that the real problem with advertising is that the process itself is broken. And he is the only man in the history of the industry courageous (or insane) enough to attempt to change it. You may not agree with everything in this book, but you'll still find yourself nodding, laughing, taking notes-and reading on compulsively." --Sam Hill, cofounder, Helios Consulting Group, author, Sixty Trends in Sixty Minutes

"If you're in marketing-and these days, who isn't-this book is a must-read. Sergio Zyman is tough-minded and irreverent. His insights into the evolution of advertising are vital for anyone building a business." --John J. Dooner Jr., Chairman and CEO, Interpublic Group

"Sergio Zyman has put his finger on a significant shift in consumer spending: buying patterns within categories are no longer a zero-sum game, and product categories are no longer neatly organized. The implications for positioning, advertising, and marketing are profound-which is why this book is so valuable." --Geoffrey Moore, Chairman, The Chasm Group, and venture partner, Mohr Davidow Ventures