Advertising is one of the worlds most beloved and glamorized industries. Hundreds of books, movies, and even reality TV shows are devoted to it. It consumes billions of dollars a year. But it has a dirty little secret: it is so wildly ineffective that it borders on a global scam. Research proves that almost 90% of traditional TV ads are ignored. Cutting edge platforms like social media fare even worse. In fact, you have a better chance of surviving a plane crash than clicking on a banner ad.
The authors of Friction give you insider access to this scam. Having worked on some of the industrys most innovative assignments, theyve seen what truly builds breakout brands. Brands that outperform the competition ten to one.
Intuitively, all brands know a new approach is needed. They know that technology has permanently altered their relationship with consumers. Every day, stalwart brands find themselves losing market share to upstarts that have captured our collective consciousness. Trillions of dollars are spent while brands adopt the newest technology. But they fail miserably because the strategic underpinnings need to change. Great brands can no longer be built by interrupting the audience with paid advertising. It annoys instead of enriches. It repels instead of attracts.
Friction argues that brands dont need a new shiny, technological object. They need a fundamental change in strategy. The book offers a new paradigm for success in a world thats increasingly rejecting advertising. Its the roadmap. Its the why and the how of the new landscape. It provides a system for embracing transparency, engaging audiences, building armies of evangelists and unleashing unprecedented growth.
Jeff Rosenblum and Jordan Berg are pioneers, disruptors, innovators, and admitted pains in the ass. Already recognized as leaders of the advertising industry, they are ready to pull back the cloak and reveal how breakthrough brands are really built. Over the past two decades, they have led teams that have helped revolutionize market research, financial services, publishing, sports broadcasting, and consumer packaged goods. They have worked with some of the worlds top brands and analyzed decades of data to truly understand what drives outsized success. They recently wrote and directed The Naked Brand, a documentary film about the future of advertising. It reveals the surprising story about the industrys ability to help save the planet one small step at a time. Through the documentary and regular contributions to Advertising Age, Fast Company, Digiday and iMediaConnection they have built a network of fans and supporters that eagerly await the book. Theyve been featured in Newsweek, Fox Business Network, and Bloomberg TV. They have also presented to large crowds at nearly every major industry conference and guest lectured at some of the worlds top universities. In addition, their agency, Questus, has won scores of awards, including back-to-back Agency of the Year honors. Jeff and Jordan are tireless promoters who pride themselves on being willing to try anything at least once. This has led to them fighting in the 'Vermont Toughman Competition,' jumping in the frozen Atlantic Ocean to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and building a school in a remote village in Nepal. They like to think these experiences will somehow help them sell more books.
