Promiscuous Customers:Invisible Brands

Phones, TV's, PDA's, watches and even fridges are rapidly taking the place of the PC. Now Europe's proliferating channels and devices - plus its multiple cultures and languages - are writing tomorrow's rules. Part field book, part manifesto, and part behind-the-scenes expose, Promiscuous Customers, Invisible Brands is a practical guide which leads the reader through the cycle of strategy, specification, planning and implementation of an e-business. It balances crisp observation with just-in-time pragmatism, on a solid foundation of value and quality management.

Created by two of Britain's most experienced and visionary strategists, Promiscuous Customers, Invisible Brands provides the insights, the framework and the toolkit for confident, flexible management through the next wave of digital business.

Michael Bayler and David Stoughton are the founders and senior partners of The Value Partnership, the e-business strategy consultancy.Das Internet ist unaufhaltsam auf dem Vormarsch. "Promiscuous Customers" ist ein praktischer und solider Leitfaden für die Gründung eines E-Business. Behandelt werden alle Fragen rund um die Strategieauswahl, Spezifikation, Planung und Implementierung. Das Buch bietet aber nicht nur Einblicke, sondern liefert auch das nötige Handwerkszeug für eine vertrauensvolle und flexible Unternehmensführung für die nächste Welle des E-Business.
Diskutiert wird ein breites Spektrum an Schwerpunktthemen, wie z.B. die Analyse von Kundenwünschen über alle Kanäle, die Anpassung an einen multi-kulturellen und mehrsprachigen Markt und die kritische Betrachtung der neuen Geschäftsmodelle und ihrer Zukunftsaussichten. "Promiscuous Customers" ist ein ausgesprochen praxisorientiertes Buch. Es greift ausschließlich auf die Erkenntnisse und Erfahrungen von Experten aus der Praxis zurück (Theoretiker kommen hier nicht zu Wort!) und bietet ein ausgewogenes Verhältnis von theoretischer Darstellung und praktischer Anwendung. Die Autoren gehören zu Europas erfahrensten E-Strategen. Acknowledgements.

Is This Book For You?

Introduction.

1 The Cold Heart of the Promiscuous Customer.

2 The Paradox of the Invisible Brand.

3 What's Wrong With the Internet?

4 Modes, Purposes and Tasks.

5 Meaning, Trust and Value.

6 Taking Stock.

7 The Marketspace--a New Paradigm for Value.

8 The Key Drivers and Enablers of Marketspaces.

9 Roles and Benefits in Marketspaces.

10 Rules and Relationships in Marketspaces.

11 The Return of Value to Digital Markets.

Index. "For a readable, thought-provoking and challenging assessment of how to deliver value in digital markets, this is a recommended read." (European Centre for Customer Strategies, 21 February 2002) MICHAEL BAYLER came into digital media in 1991 following a marketing career in entertainment in Europe, Asia, and the US. He held senior positions in electronic publishing and brand consulting, and founded a digital production company in 1996, prior to forming The e-Value Partnership with David. Mike specialises in marketing, communications and brand strategy for digital markets.

DAVID STOUGHTON made the transition from television production to digital media in 1989, becoming operations director of AIM, one of the first UK new media agencies. He established his own consultancy, DSA, in 1996. David has formal training in project and technology management, and has consulted on an extensive range of large digital projects.

Mike and David founded The e-Value Partnership in early 1999, to advise senior management on strategy and planning for digital business. What's wrong with the Internet?

Customers on today's "Commoditised Internet" expect unprecedented levels of service: they are fickle and promiscuous.
Traditional branding makes matters worse, in a trading environment that is unsentimental and unforgiving.
If the interaction between customer and brand is unsatisfactory, the problems for business are far worse: the transparency of the market commoditises everything.

These are the causes of the near-collapse of business on the Internet. So how can we bring together value for the on-line customer with value for the enterprise, to create the profitable, sustainable business models of tomorrow? Michael Bayler and David Stoughton, two of Europe's most innovative strategic thinkers, deliver a sophisticated paradigm, the Marketspace, and a practical methodology, Modal Analysis, for businesses to build their future roles on a foundation of clear customer value.

Bayler and Stoughton turn today's philosophy of failure on its head, with critical new insights, such as:

"Stickiness" and "compelling content" are red herrings; meaning and trust are the two building blocks for customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Content is anything but King& the book rediscovers and defines the true value of information in digital trade.
On-line brands, far from being controllable corporate assets, are out-of-control, and visible.
The old mantras of channel, device and bandwidth make way for the new enablers: P2P, XML, mobile, always on and automation.
"Mind share" is redundant; automated digital services deliver the new Unconscious Loyalty, exposing e-CRM as a mere distraction.

Pulling no punches, telling you what went wrong and how to get it right next time, Promiscuous Customers: Invisible Brands is the new bible for success in digital markets. "A challenging and provocative look at how brands, customers and technology will come together to shape tomorrow's digital landscape."
Nigel Howlett, Chairman and CEO, Ogilvyone, London

"An exciting read, that briskly addresses the many serious concerns facing management in tomorrow's electronic marketplaces& It stands out for its matter-of-fact, plain language approach and its refusal to shy away from complex, controversial issues."
Roy J. Tutty, Chief Executive, Wyndham International, Europe

"In a business arena where diversity and risk abound, Michael Bayler and David Stoughton break through the clutter and confusion. Their analysis is insightful, and their recommendations are pathways to value that will help organizations reap the rewards of consumer trust and loyalty."
Thomas Walton, Editor, Design Management Journal