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Title:
Super Searchers on Madison Avenue
Review:
Business has its "airport" books and now the information profession
has a version - the Super Searchers series. Like business "airport"
books which give an inspiring look at a subject area without really
providing a great deal of information, "Super Searchers on Madison
Avenue" is a very readable and inspiring overview of the work lives of
thirteen advertising and marketing information professionals without
ever really revealing the nuggets you might hope for.
The subtitle of the book suggests that "top advertising and marketing
professionals share their online research strategies" but this is
really a misnomer. There is a significant commitment to discussing
print resources as well as online research strategies. Online search
strategies are covered but not in any systematic way. Each interview
ends with what should be a very useful section - "power tips".
Unfortunately they are not always that powerful. Occasionally they are
more a statement of the obvious than a tip - "an important part of my
team's job is to select the best resources and tools and make them
accessible to the people who need them so that they can do their best
possible work in the most efficient manner". Some "power tip"!
In its favour this is clearly a book for the beginner who wants to get
up to a reasonable level quickly. There is a good listing of
advertising-related websites (232 sites), books, annuals, newsletters,
magazines and articles (almost 100) and a few quick tips. It is
particularly good at giving the flavour of information search in an
advertising agency but not quite so impressive for those who are
interested in the broader aspects of marketing.
Key factors you may be interested in if you are considering purchasing
this book: it's entirely American in outlook; there is more about the
day to day working lives of the interviewees and their organisations
than their online search strategies; it's not very well edited (e.g.
www.excite.com but no WWW in epinions.com).
On the positive side, this is an excellent light book for potential
entrants to this area of the information profession. It is also good
to see the idea of "super searchers", adding a bit of glamour to the
all too often mundane world of information work.
But the title of the book still worries me. I was expecting a lot more
detail on online search strategies than is presented here and indeed
one suspects that in some cases the primary online researchers for the
agency are not those being interviewed - interviewees tend to be the
service heads.
Nevertheless, an enjoyable, if frustrating, read. Read it on your way
to the next conference.
FreePint Reviewer:
Terry Kendrick is Director of Information Now Limited, an information
and marketing consultancy set up in 1990. Originally trained as a
librarian (ten years working in reference libraries) Terry left
libraries in 1987 to develop approaches to information and marketing.
Since this date he has worked on marketing projects for over 50
organisations in 17 different countries. Although most of his clients
are private sector organisations Terry still teaches workshops for
library and information professionals through the auspices of CILIP
and others. He is CILIP's national trainer for the NOF funded net
navigator and information consultant modules.
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