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November 11, 2004

Financial Times Book Review: "A guide to calling the shots"

Just got this book review in today by Stefan Stern from the Financial Times of London. The headline from the print edition is "A guide to calling the shots: Stefan Stern is persuaded by two Microsoft veterans' reduction of marketing to five simple 'plays'" For the full online edition of the review, click here or here. Below are some highlights:

• "Zagula and Tong have produced an ingenious and persuasive book that really does break marketing strategies down into five simple but compelling models, or "plays".
• "And reading this exuberant book is rather like having two young Microsoft geeks sitting next to you, breathlessly explaining how in a few simple steps you might well be able to conquer the world. Their enthusiasm bursts out again and again, often in the form of sporting or other metaphors."
• "The authors remain enthused and energetic throughout. But, as they themselves conclude, only by putting plays into practice will you find out how smart you really are. Markets, customers and competitors all change. You will have to be adaptive and agile to make your plays work in the real world."
• "John Zagula and Richard Tong have taken this concept of the playbook and applied it to the less athletic (but occasionally equally chaotic) world of marketing. The authors are both veterans of Microsoft's muscular marketing campaigns of the past 15 years. Now set up in a Seattle-based venture capital firm called Ignition Partners, they have decided to share their insights with the rest of the world."

Wow. We are flattered. Of course you have to read the book yourself to form your own opinion. We look forward to hearing what you think.

Posted by johnza at November 11, 2004 02:18 PM

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