Word-of-mouth, Guerrilla, and underground marketing… every major company makes attempts at it. In this day and age communication is at its best. The internet and cell phones have allowed the whole world to publish their thoughts. Its a matter of how loud you want to be heard and who you want to talk to. Marketing is still at its strongest on the streets, however the ripple effect takes off at a faster rate these days.
Brand Hijack is probably one of the better books that I have read in a long time. this book digresses on both successful and despicable marketing ploys. It also uncovers some of the most fierce marketing ventures as mere fads. It touches base on the most recent emergence of such products as Pabst Blue Ribbon and Red Bull. It explains how these two brands became modern powerhouses. One was merely a fad for messenger bikers and the other was a well thought out underground marketing plan. Red Bull took down consumers through mere methodical procedures that started at the grass roots. If you can recall when you were introduced to these brands and draw a lineage to how you react to them now, you will understand. This book does just that; it dissects to process for these brands. There were no major venture capitalists funding these things, just ingenious marketers.
If you are an entrepreneur and/or you are thinking about new ideas and means for launching ideas, I would strongly recommend this book.