Richard

There is an old hollywood joke about a self-absorbed starlite who is at a dinner party and bores the producer seated next to her about how talented she is. When she sees him yawn she finally gets a clue and says, "I'm sorry. I've been doing all of the talking and haven't given you a chance to talk about how great I am."

Undoubtedly the author is a talented person and has earned the bragging rights to numerous successful ad campaigns and one or two examples to prove her point would have been interesting, but the continual "look how great I am" is like covering a single strawberry under the entire contents from a can of whip cream. The message gets lost in all the fluff.

Ironically the "Bang" message has exploded the core essence of how to apply the method into smithereens and few remnants remain. The other problem is that the book is really meant to be a sales tool directed to marketing directors with 5 million plus campaigns to launch. (I say 5 million because the author says that even that is chump change in her circle.)

The essence of the book is that you start by abandonding preconceived ideas about a product, that you start with a blank sheet of paper and approach the project with the idea of turning everything on its head. The test for success is if it doesn't raise a few eyebrows you need to rethink it because to get attention you are bound to stir the ire of a few letter writers.

If you are looking for something along the lines of "Bang" and want more than fluff, then I'd like to suggest Edward De Bono's "Lateral Thinking." It is more of what "Bang" should have been.

Glenn Harrold has produced one of the best programs of this type. Over the years I've had the pleasure (and displeasure) of listening to self-hypnosis type programs. One of the greatest differences that sets this hypnotist apart is his use of the echo technique that is effective for implanting the 'idea' while also encouraging the listener to take ownership of it.

Highly recommended.