Mass market is being fractured.

Nothing really fantastic here. Yes we know that the age of the TV advert & one size fits all is over and now you have to use a marketing mix including some clever social media. Problem still exist that the market does not really know what it wants. I don't think Seth Godin presents his case very well and left me feeling like he was just rambling on. I think Tom Peter's book Re-imagine presents a better case. Seth narrates his book in his usual easy way and isn't difficult to listen to but this book isn't one of his better ones.

11 people found this helpful

Nothing new

What would have made We Are All Weird better?

I am a big fan of Seth Godin but there is nothing new here. I recommend reading Purple Cow and Lynch Pin and skipping this book

22 people found this helpful

This is a book about marketing to niche audiences

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

Advertising professionals, students with Marketing Majors in college, entrepreneurs.

Would you ever listen to anything by Seth Godin again?

Possibly

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

This book would be valuable for people in the advertisong and marketing fields. It tries to make a dry subject (to me) funny. People who are interested in the subject, would likely be delighted.

Any additional comments?

From the description, I thought this was more of a social commentary. It didn't really describe the focus as being marketing to customers. I listened to a good portion of the book because the narrator / author's voice is soothing and I was uninterested enough in the subject for it to be background noise while I did work that I didn't want interrupted by a more interesting (to me) book.

6 people found this helpful

Ignore the Title

Seth Godin brings insight into the dilemma that modern Marketing is confronting. It may sound uninteresting, but it is fascinating to see the inner workings of such a subtle, and sometime subliminal profession.

What is it? How it is changing? and, How it is changing us? How does the Internet and Globalism affect how we perceive wealth, and purchase things? These are some of the questions Godin explores.

The book is really about 'how marketing affects our daily lives. It is about the way we see ourselves, and about how we want others to see us, and how often this is influenced by advertising'. It is about how the Internet and Globalism have created niche markets, rather than the "mass" markets that we have grown up with (for example: the major syndicates nbc, abc, cbs used to dominate the airwaves, now we have thousands of channels to chose from... and not one that everyone will talk about at the water-cooler the next day, except perhaps the Superbowl). This change, makes it hard for marketers, to know how to reach a growing and ever-differing modern audience.

There are moments of brilliance, but I think overall, Godin makes a critical mistake by using the word "weird". Marketing by definition is: " the process of communicating the value of a product or service to customers, for the purpose of selling that product or service.".

By using the word "weird' so often, Godin makes it hard for the listener to embrace his arguments, which are often worth listening to. Godin could have used a word such as "unique" or "a-typical" to describe groups outside of the "norm". Instead he essentially calls us to embrace being "weird" and completely ignores the stigma that might prevent people from doing so. I mostly agree with his thesis, and think he brings forth many good points in a short, easy to listen-to book.

* another minor gripe I have is when Godin introduces his political leanings. Although you can guess what they might be, you will see that they add nothing to the content of this book. I chose to ignore them altogether for the sake of the hearing his thoughts about marketing and the changing audiences.

2 people found this helpful

Says same thing over and over and…….

Listen to the preview and save your money. His idea is that mass market is over; small "tribes" will dictate products. Actually, I don't even think that is true, and there is little to back up his statements other than his idea (wish). And then he says that same idea for over two hours. I'm getting tired of this author who has little substance yet says it authoritatively over and over.

24 people found this helpful

The substance of this book could fill a postcard

An interesting idea, but not enough to justify an audiobook. We Are All Weird is basically done after the first chapter.

1 person found this helpful

Not the best of Godin's books

Like all marketers, I love Seth Godin. He is an incredible writer and thinker and has some of the best marketing books ever. This is clearly not his best book.

The whole premise of the book is that the world has evolved from an era of mass products and limited choice to a world of mass customization and uniqueness.

Seth is right, to an extent. As i write this, the majority of the US population uses the exact same smart phone, and iPhone, most companies run their email on MS Exchange, everyone drinks Starbucks and most women on the street carry LV or MK handbags.

So the premise is somewhat flawed. We live in a world of mass products AND mass customization. Seth could have spent more time explaining the implications for marketers than making the case for the theory of mass. Try another of Seth's books instead, there are some true gems. My favorite All marketers are Storytellers.

1 person found this helpful

(Mis) Judging a Book by its Cover

I bought Seth Godin's "We Are All Weird" (2011) without realizing what I was getting.

The Audible version of the book has a guy with a green dunce cap and matching Indian cotton tunic. He looked, well, pretty weird. The author's first name is "Seth" which makes me think of funny guy actors-writers Seth MacFarlane and Seth Rogan. Since I don't know any Seths personally, I pretty much thought every Seth was funny, just like I still think every Dallas is a meteorologist, and every Barrack is president.

Amusing indicators aside, "We Are All Weird" isn't funny. It's a serious manifesto (Godin's word) about the end of mass marketing and, by extension, the end of mass retailing and mass production of lot of things. Thanks to the Internet, we've gone from cobblers custom making shoes for every person in the 16th Century to everyone wearing the same shoes back to custom shoes. An average individual can afford a custom tailored suit. And music - we can listen to what we want, when we want - without having a whole album shoved down our throat (well, except for U2's "Songs of Innocence" (September 9, 2014) Apple foisted on us, and talk about a mass marketing failure there).

My undergraduate degree's in Business Administration and I had a year of marketing classes, but I didn't keep up with the field. Grodin's theories seem sound, and for those of us old enough to have learned traditional marketing, the theories are new. His discussion and narrative were lively enough to keep me interested in a topic I don't follow. Good marketing, Godin.

[If this review helped, please press YES. Thanks!]

10 people found this helpful

Marvelous

A must not only to read, a must to keep and revisited at least every month.

you are uniquely you ....

this book does a great job sharing what has been happening in culture, society & all originations who desire to connect, trade & influence. It's not just about marketing or the masses. you are uniquely you and if you treat others like you want to be treated your brand awareness, network & Cashflow will increase as you desire.