Chasing Cool Standing Out in Today's Cluttered Marketplace

Coolisn’tjustastateofmind,acelebrityfad,oranAmericanobsession—it’sabusiness.InboardroomsacrossAmerica,productmanagersareexaminingvodkabottlesandcandybars,tissueboxesandhamburgers,wonderinghowdowemakethisthingcool?HowdowemakethisgadgetintotheiPodofourindustry?HowdowedowhatNikedid?HowdowegetwhatTargetgot?Howdoweinfusethisproductwiththatverydesirable,nearlyunattainableitfactor?Inthiswide-rangingexplorationtheauthorsNoahKerner,acelebratedmarketingmaverick,andGenePressman,legendarycreativevisionaryandformerco-CEOofBarneysNewYork,haveuncoveredsurprisinganduniversalpatternsandtrends.Theysystematicallyparsethesuccessesandfailuresofthelastfewdecades—inmusicandfashion,magazinesandfood,spiritsandhip-hopculture.Theirdiscoveriesarepulledtogetherinthisdefinitivebookonthecommerceofcool.NikeandTargetendureasrelevantbrandsnotbecauseofashortsightedandgimmickycampaign.Adashofblingandaviralwebsitedon’tamasslong-termvalue.Brandsareeffectivelydevelopedwhencompaniestakesubstantialrisk—andfacethepossibilityofrealfailure—inordertoopenuptheopportunityforrealsuccess.ChasingCoolincludesinterviewswithmorethanseventyoftoday’smostrespectedinnovatorsfromTomFordandRussellSimmonstoIanSchragerandChristinaAguilera.Andthroughthisaccomplishedassemblage,PressmanandKernerdigbeneaththesurfaceandrevealhowemphasizinglong-lastingrelevancetrumpsafleetingpreoccupationwithwhat’shotandwhat’snot.Inamultidimensional,entertaining,andeminentlyreadablebookthatredefineshowtoappealtotoday’ssavvyconsumer,KernerandPressmanexplorethelessonstobelearnedbyAmerica’songoingsearchfortheever-changingconceptofcool.Readerswilllearnhowtoapplytheselessonstotheirownbusinessesandcreativeprojectsinordertostandoutintoday’sclutteredmarketplace.,