Recommended reading: Brands in a post-truth world and developing a ‘digital spine’

The Post-Truth Business: How to rebuild brand authenticity in a distrusting world

By Sean Pillot de Chenecey

In a post-truth world defined by mistrust, the connections between brands and consumers are increasing becoming severed. Now insights and brand strategy expert Sean Pillot de Chenecey argues that to strengthen engagement in a fractured world brands need to close the credibility gap if they want to play an authentic role in consumers’ lives. Covering everything from conscious capitalism to the phenomenon of ‘alternative facts’, this book lays out a post-trust manifesto based on the essential premise that where choice is available, untrustworthy brands will be rejected.

How to Own the Room: Women and the art of brilliant speaking

By Viv Groskop

Ever been on stage in front of a room of strangers and the words just don’t come out? Viv Groskop’s new book addresses how to overcome the natural performance anxiety many people suffer and how as a woman you can find your voice on a big stage. Championing female speakers from Michelle Obama and JK Rowling, to Hillary Clinton and Oprah, this book aims to help women tap into the kind of inner conviction that makes people sit up and take notice.

Alive: Digital humans and their organizations

By Paul Ashcroft and Garrick Jones

Books on digital transformation often fail to focus on the human impact for people working within organisations. Consultants Paul Ashcroft and Garrick Jones want to change the conversation by putting people at the heart of digital and urging leaders to implement a digital ‘spine’ within their company which evolves in line with the business. This book outlines how leaders can engage and motivate employees in a digital world, while at the same time managing a “radically flexible employee experience”.

The difference between brand and branding

By Dave Trott

In his latest blog post, Dave Trott takes us back to the 1970s and Collett Dickenson Pearce’s iconic adverts for Cinzano, starring the irresistibly clumsy Leonard Rossiter and effortlessly stylish Joan Collins. Trott argues that despite the fact this series of 10 adverts won every award going in the late 1970s to early 1980s, the campaign essentially failed because it is typically remembered as being for market leader Martini, rather than challenger brand Cinzano. The reason? While the brand values are strong, the campaign falls down on the branding, which Trott defines as “embedding the name of the product in the consumer’s mind”.

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