How Cool Brands Stay Hot by Joeri Van Den Bergh and Mattias Beher

In Japan and Singapore, we have this trend called "aging population". In other words, the biggest market is/is going to be the slightly older folks. Well, I hear in other parts of the world, it's different and that youngsters are the target market. This book is written to show people how exactly to capture this market.

It turns out that the way to capture this market is through the mnemonic CRUSH:

Coolness
Realness
Uniqueness
Self-identification with the brand
Happiness

The book then procedes to explain each element of CRUSH in detail, with lots of case studies and a summary at the end of each chapter. I must admit, I was impressed by how much evidence the book presents, and how understandable it is.

Well, you may be thinking "If I'm not a business student, I don't really need to read this book." Well, this may be true, but if you're a Gen Y baby, you might want to read this. Because no matter how special you think you are, this book will prove to you that you're not, and that companies are finding ways to persuade you to buy their products.

And before I end up digressing into some "we are all brainwashed by advertising" spiral, let me say that this book stresses that brands must stay true to their brand DNA (what makes them them). So I guess, marketing is not just brainwashing, it's also about finding the brand that fits your personality best.

This book is reccomended for those with an interest in marketing, or for those who want to know why they buy what they buy; remember "know thine enemy"(;

Disclaimer: I got a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review.