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Chasing Cool: Standing Out in Today's Cluttered Marketplace
Cool isn't just a state of mind, a celebrity fad, or an American obsession -- it's a business. In boardrooms across America, product managers are examining vodka bottles and candy bars, tissue boxes and hamburgers, wondering how do we make this thing cool? How do we make this gadget into the iPod of our industry? How do we do what Nike did? How do we get what Target got? How do we infuse this product with that very desirable, nearly unattainable it factor?
In this wide-ranging exploration the authors Noah Kerner, a celebrated marketing maverick, and Gene Pressman, legendary creative visionary and former co-CEO of Barneys New York, have uncovered surprising and universal patterns and trends. They systematically parse the successes and failures of the last few decades -- in music and fashion, magazines and food, spirits and hip-hop culture. Their discoveries are pulled together in this definitive book on the commerce of cool.
Nike and Target endure as relevant brands not because of a shortsighted and gimmicky campaign. A dash of bling and a viral website don't amass long-term value. Brands are effectively developed when companies take substantial risk -- and face the possibility of real failure -- in order to open up the opportunity for real success.
Chasing Cool includes interviews with more than seventy of today's most respected innovators from Tom Ford and Russell Simmons to Ian Schrager and Christina Aguilera. And through this accomplished assemblage, Pressman and Kerner dig beneath the surface and reveal how emphasizing long-lasting relevance trumps a fleeting preoccupation with what's hot and what's not. In a multidimensional, entertaining, and eminently readable book that redefines how to appeal to today's savvy consumer, Kerner and Pressman explore the lessons to be learned by America's ongoing search for the ever-changing concept of cool. Readers will learn how to apply these lessons to their own businesses and creative projects in order to stand out in today's cluttered marketplace.
"Simply chasing cool is really a bad idea; inspired by cool is a great idea. Walk the street, see what's going on, and spit it out in your own way. Don't do it because you research it, do it because you breathe it."
-- Russell Simmons, chairman and CEO of Rush Communications
"I can't imagine having to hire a so-called Cool Hunter. If I had to go to someone else to be cool, I'd just pack up my bags and find a new profession."
-- Tony Hawk, professional skateboarder
"It's possible to be both mainstream and edgy. You can be the Goliath but you always have to think and behave like the David."
-- Scott Bedbury, former Nike and Starbucks marketing executive
"I love looking at trend reports because then I know exactly what I shouldn't be doing."
-- John Demsey, group president, Estée Lauder, MAC Cosmetics, Prescriptives, Sean John, and Tom Ford Beauty
"I don't believe in creation by committee. I think it's impossible."
-- Bonnie Fuller, chief editorial director and executive vice president of American Media Inc.
"We had to make a big decision at MTV when I was there. Do we grow old with our audience or are we going to be the voice of young America? We made the decision to be the voice of young America, which meant we had to let people grow out of MTV."
-- Bob Pittman, cofounder of MTV, former president of AOL
In this wide-ranging exploration the authors Noah Kerner, a celebrated marketing maverick, and Gene Pressman, legendary creative visionary and former co-CEO of Barneys New York, have uncovered surprising and universal patterns and trends. They systematically parse the successes and failures of the last few decades -- in music and fashion, magazines and food, spirits and hip-hop culture. Their discoveries are pulled together in this definitive book on the commerce of cool.
Nike and Target endure as relevant brands not because of a shortsighted and gimmicky campaign. A dash of bling and a viral website don't amass long-term value. Brands are effectively developed when companies take substantial risk -- and face the possibility of real failure -- in order to open up the opportunity for real success.
Chasing Cool includes interviews with more than seventy of today's most respected innovators from Tom Ford and Russell Simmons to Ian Schrager and Christina Aguilera. And through this accomplished assemblage, Pressman and Kerner dig beneath the surface and reveal how emphasizing long-lasting relevance trumps a fleeting preoccupation with what's hot and what's not. In a multidimensional, entertaining, and eminently readable book that redefines how to appeal to today's savvy consumer, Kerner and Pressman explore the lessons to be learned by America's ongoing search for the ever-changing concept of cool. Readers will learn how to apply these lessons to their own businesses and creative projects in order to stand out in today's cluttered marketplace.
"Simply chasing cool is really a bad idea; inspired by cool is a great idea. Walk the street, see what's going on, and spit it out in your own way. Don't do it because you research it, do it because you breathe it."
-- Russell Simmons, chairman and CEO of Rush Communications
"I can't imagine having to hire a so-called Cool Hunter. If I had to go to someone else to be cool, I'd just pack up my bags and find a new profession."
-- Tony Hawk, professional skateboarder
"It's possible to be both mainstream and edgy. You can be the Goliath but you always have to think and behave like the David."
-- Scott Bedbury, former Nike and Starbucks marketing executive
"I love looking at trend reports because then I know exactly what I shouldn't be doing."
-- John Demsey, group president, Estée Lauder, MAC Cosmetics, Prescriptives, Sean John, and Tom Ford Beauty
"I don't believe in creation by committee. I think it's impossible."
-- Bonnie Fuller, chief editorial director and executive vice president of American Media Inc.
"We had to make a big decision at MTV when I was there. Do we grow old with our audience or are we going to be the voice of young America? We made the decision to be the voice of young America, which meant we had to let people grow out of MTV."
-- Bob Pittman, cofounder of MTV, former president of AOL
- GenresBusinessNonfiction
272 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2007
19 people are currently reading
204 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
November 4, 2013
Chasing cool has become one of my favorite books to date. This book is a good read not only for people who are interested in marketing, but also for people who shop for anything. At first I thought the book was going to be repetitive as each chapter seems to reiterate the last, but that's not the case. There are so many cool (no pun intended) lessons and quotes this book has to offer. I recommend this book to anyone!
July 10, 2008
sooooo good. i got to meet noah kerner at a conference in new orleans and he is badass. interesting to read even if you're not in the sales game. he interviews everyone, ranging from tony hawk to talib kweli to a bunch of dudes in the tech industry about whom i know nothing.
September 10, 2007
great weekend read if you need a refresher course in being and staying relevant as a dot com, mom and pop, or global brand. nice anecdotes and a few ding ding revelations.
January 25, 2013
As a communications professional it showed me how to really stand out and make my voice heard by being the most original version of me and not by a how-to guide, that again would take you back to the mold you were trying to get out of.
November 11, 2007
Some people at work were really pumped up about this book, so I was curious- especially since the cover is someone wearing AF1's with spurs. I've had more than my fill of AF1's, at work and at home.
I did check the book's website before reading it and was overwhelmed by the sheer force of book marketing.
I was first suspicious of the actual layout: there's a lot of bold, large face type. The margins are big. And there are tons of getty style images with vague business quotes. The last time I saw a book with this style layout was Dennis Rodman's autobiography (which I only read because I was extremely bored waiting at someone's house)
There isn't really any substance tying the sentences together. The main point is that if you are not authentic, you will not connect with your consumer. They have a lot of rambling points from Bonnie Fuller to Tony Hawk saying focus groups and trend reports are not how they operate. Also, you need to be an innovator, but not too early. And don't copy people. And it you're selling a book like this, you need to name drop.
Some of it didn't make any sense: they mentioned someone at Estee Lauder laughing at trend reports. Really? Then how come I've read interviews with the younger Lauder daughter who described her "cool hunting"?
I did learn the term "cool hunter" is passe, but in general I was offended by how stupid this book was. It's probably helpful for execs giving presentations if they need to pull out a quick quote.
I did check the book's website before reading it and was overwhelmed by the sheer force of book marketing.
I was first suspicious of the actual layout: there's a lot of bold, large face type. The margins are big. And there are tons of getty style images with vague business quotes. The last time I saw a book with this style layout was Dennis Rodman's autobiography (which I only read because I was extremely bored waiting at someone's house)
There isn't really any substance tying the sentences together. The main point is that if you are not authentic, you will not connect with your consumer. They have a lot of rambling points from Bonnie Fuller to Tony Hawk saying focus groups and trend reports are not how they operate. Also, you need to be an innovator, but not too early. And don't copy people. And it you're selling a book like this, you need to name drop.
Some of it didn't make any sense: they mentioned someone at Estee Lauder laughing at trend reports. Really? Then how come I've read interviews with the younger Lauder daughter who described her "cool hunting"?
I did learn the term "cool hunter" is passe, but in general I was offended by how stupid this book was. It's probably helpful for execs giving presentations if they need to pull out a quick quote.
December 10, 2014
It has many interesting anecdotes about the marketing and branding of some of the most popular brands; that comes with a good portion of thoughtful ideas and hindsight analysis. Almost all the histories come directly, through interviews, from the founders of the brands or actual celebrities like Tony Hawk, Christina Aguilera etc. So, that is very valuable. However, I think the book could be better written/organized.
June 4, 2008
This book is a light, quick read. I don't think it has anything earth-shattering to say about marketing in today's cluttered marketplace, but it's definitely worth the read (which isn't a huge time investment) for the perspective that it does have and for the incredibly interesting case studies (namely Barneys New York, iPod and Quicksilver) scattered throughout the book.
August 11, 2015
This book is a great conversation piece. It's an easy read with real life examples that hit on strategic marketing.
January 23, 2008
Great look at trends in marketing.
September 22, 2025
Too long. I need to get better at putting a book that is slowing me down, down fr, or else I stop reading.
January 5, 2009
Some interesting things but poorly written and designed.
There were some things I liked about this book (the details and history of Barneys NY). But there were also plenty of weird things about this book.
The premise of Chasing Cool is to not chase it -- don't try to package up and sell something "cool". What I don't understand is why they did just that with this book. The design is pretty awful. There are two writers and three different styles of font so you know when one author is speaking or when they're both speaking together. This was silly - I'd say that 99% of readers are irritated when on one page you have three different font styles. The only people who care about this are probably the authors. Just because something is bold and italicized doesn't mean I remember which author is speaking, nor do I care. The images spread randomly and plentifully throughout didn't really seem to have any connection to the content, were uninteresting and will just date this book.
All that said, I did finish it, so it was able to keep me engaged (maybe because I was so distracted by its design).
There were some things I liked about this book (the details and history of Barneys NY). But there were also plenty of weird things about this book.
The premise of Chasing Cool is to not chase it -- don't try to package up and sell something "cool". What I don't understand is why they did just that with this book. The design is pretty awful. There are two writers and three different styles of font so you know when one author is speaking or when they're both speaking together. This was silly - I'd say that 99% of readers are irritated when on one page you have three different font styles. The only people who care about this are probably the authors. Just because something is bold and italicized doesn't mean I remember which author is speaking, nor do I care. The images spread randomly and plentifully throughout didn't really seem to have any connection to the content, were uninteresting and will just date this book.
All that said, I did finish it, so it was able to keep me engaged (maybe because I was so distracted by its design).
December 31, 2016
I read this book as requested by my operator for my job (Director of Sales & Brand Growth). Definitely an interesting read for anyone involved in marketing - it's full of personal anecdotes from the authors, quotes from myriad symbols and producers of "cool", and examples of the pursuit of cool gone right and wrong.
One takeaway from this book was avoiding the easy temptation to emulate someone else who is successful, as if there were a cookie cutter approach to cool and success. Take risks. Know your demographic. Be genuine and authentic. Have a vision and follow it, but don't shy away from adjusting that vision along the way.
One takeaway from this book was avoiding the easy temptation to emulate someone else who is successful, as if there were a cookie cutter approach to cool and success. Take risks. Know your demographic. Be genuine and authentic. Have a vision and follow it, but don't shy away from adjusting that vision along the way.
April 1, 2008
Brings up a few interesting points and demonstrates how "cool" can't be manufactured, but falls a little short describing how "cool" actually happens, which I guess is kinda the point of the book: You can't make cool, you just have to hope and pray that it happens to you.
While it was an enjoyable read and even at times insightful, it seems like anyone really in touch with their consumers would already be privy to the point this book makes.
While it was an enjoyable read and even at times insightful, it seems like anyone really in touch with their consumers would already be privy to the point this book makes.
September 10, 2011
Not an essential read but a pretty solid chapter near the end examining how Quiksilver helped build surf culture via an MTV show on girl surfers and Yahoo partnered their then new music service with the DMC DJ championship to illustrate how brands should correctly borrow (or as they argue, share) equity from ‘cool’ be it emerging, underground or already-established cool subcultures, artists, athletes or other celebrities.
February 15, 2016
Its actually amazing. The books theme is marketing. It forces you to draw your own conclusions all the way through then blows you away.
Every point I decided to put the book down after so many chapters it was impossible. I'm literally left hanging on. I have to read more.
I have to know who and what and where. The author displays in depth knowledge on the workings and procedures. Thanks a lot!
Every point I decided to put the book down after so many chapters it was impossible. I'm literally left hanging on. I have to read more.
I have to know who and what and where. The author displays in depth knowledge on the workings and procedures. Thanks a lot!
September 24, 2011
Shallow and a tedious read. You get the feeling this was written by someone with a few years experience but only a skimming of the real depth of the problems he is trying to counsel on. Basically the book can be summed up by "Don't try to chase cool. Be yourself. Live your dream." Ok, you are done, no need to read the book... yea.
February 22, 2016
loved this book! really gives anyone interested in the marketing field an edge. provides insight on the true meaning of a "cool" and innovative idea. even if youre not interested in the marketing field, Chasing Cool provides you with a new perspective on living life and to not imititate others work but instead to be inspired by it.
October 5, 2007
Currently reading this book. So far it brings up some interesting point about the danger of companies trying to chase the next big trend instead of developing a culture to invent it. On the downside, it's a big fluffy and rough around the edges in terms of writing and background information.
March 14, 2009
A very intelligent account of today's pop culture and what makes it tick. Somewhat repetitive but also contains a lot of interesting stories and examples of "cool". The authors have enlisted a cowriter but I had the sense that it was clearly their book.
August 20, 2013
The core message stands the test of time. Don't chase others, don't chase cool. Be unique, be authentic. That's how you succeed. Unfortunately, the rest of the book has not aged too well. Funny how how referencing how cool myspace is can kill relevance to today's time.
February 19, 2016
I am not a marketing major but most of what is explained in this book was pretty self explanatory. I did like that the book addressed cultural appropriation. It was a nice quick read though so I can't complain
July 31, 2007
Great book on marketing and staying relevent in today's market.
June 3, 2008
Eh...nothing too special here. It referenced the typical "Cool" brands (Nike/Apple) but I was left still chasing...
July 1, 2008
So insightful to what makes a brand and an industry and what suckers we all are!
May 12, 2009
First half of the book was great. Last half not quite so enlightening; a re-hash of dated ideas.
February 19, 2010
I liked much of this book although it wasn't particularly well written. i did pull some good ideas regarding marketing and remaining relevant
February 9, 2011
I stopped reading after about 100 pages. Shittiest book I have lifted in some time. Don't waste your money on this pompous ass' drivel.
March 29, 2013
A should-read book for knowledge workers and entrepreneurs on concepts and social trends.
April 8, 2016
A must-read for everyone working to create a product that stands out. Highly recommended for marketers and students.
February 17, 2016
Awesome writing and great advice ! Enjoyed all page line by line,Thank you !
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews