If you prefer the latter, you’re going to like this book. It’s basically the “Weezer’s second album” of marketing discourse. More of the same, albeit not quite as good.
But hey, if you’re a fan, there’s plenty here for you. How Brands Blow picks up where international best seller Delusions of Brandeur left off, with some laughs, some occasional good sense, and some deserved roasting of the marketing industry’s clowns.
Want to know when the circus comes to town? Pop your particulars in the box below.
Ryan Wallman is Creative Director and Head of Copy at Wellmark, a Melbourne-based creative agency that specialises in healthcare. In his former life, he was a doctor and worked for several years in psychiatry – so he knows plenty about delusions.
Giles is co-founder of Gasp, the award-winning marketing agency that's been "fearless and inventive" (The Drum) and hell-bent on making its clients more profitable for 10 years.
What good folk said about Delusions of Brandeur:
Dave Trott, Author and Advertising Legend
“I love this book. Anything I spend my time on, I either have to learn something or be entertained, with this book I get both - along with great art direction. The only problem is that the people it takes the piss out of won’t know how funny it is. But that’s okay, they’ll buy it thinking it’s a genuine ‘How to’ guide.”
Vikki Ross, Copy Chief
“Is it a guide book for our industry? Or is it a good laugh at our industry? It’s both. It’s Ryan at his most erudite and entertaining. And it’s Gasp at their most gorgeous. Get it to get ahead - or to get the hell out of the mess we’ve made of marketing, branding and advertising.”
Bob Hoffman, Author and Advertising Legend
“Wallman slips into his Raging Bull costume and stampedes through the marketing industry smashing every bit of phony china in sight. What wonderful fun!”
Clare Barry, Copywriter and Queen of Sass
“Marketing as we know it is dead. It’s just been completely annihilated by Ryan Wallman. Somewhere between a comedy roast and a how-not-to guide, this book is an utter goldmine for the beginners, side-splitting for the seasoned, and utterly baffling for the ‘experts’. Satire so sharp it will slice you – and you’ll say thank you.”
Rory Sutherland, Vice Chairman at Ogilvy UK, TED Global speaker, Author
“A former doctor takes a scalpel to the advertising industry. Not only is this a marvellous book - but no one but Dr. Wallman could have written it.”
Tom Roach, Head of Effectiveness at adam&eveDDB
“As with all really good satire, smuggled inside every one of Wallman’s lovingly-crafted jokes is a serious message: that too many marketers reject proven principles for unproven pseudo-science, plain English for pretentious marketing jargon, the tried and tested for the shiny and new.”
Watch Giles and Ryan's entertaining talk, "Don't Be Brave. Be Right"