“An antidote to the insanity that now pervades the marketing industry”
Delusions of Brandeur is a hilarious, beautifully produced book that takes aim at marketing nonsense.
Most business books are around 60,000 words too long.
You‘ll be familiar with the format: a punchy and provocative title, an initial chapter that sets out the thesis, followed by 11 chapters of guff to pad out the book. There’s rarely any reference to research to support arguments, and there are almost never any case studies.
Ryan Wallman has written a book about modern marketing practice that’s the perfect length, is well researched and backed up with evidence. It’s nothing short of revolutionary. It’s also very funny and beautifully produced. It was designed by Giles Edwards and the crew at Gasp.
You’ll read Delusions of Brandeur in a single sitting and laugh out loud along the way. It’s a mix of short stories, lists, poems, images and graphics. You’ll also find templates for your next brand meeting, creative brief and LinkedIn post.
The premise of Delusions of Brandeur is that organisations massively overestimate their importance in the lives of consumers. I told you that it was a revolutionary text.
We learn that the primary objective of the marketing profession is to sell stuff and that the business itself is obsessed with shiny new stuff. David Ogilvy would have approved.
Wallman takes aim at all things digital, dodgy metrics, industry awards, thought leadership, purpose washing, obsession with age, and more. He’s a medical doctor turned creative director and copywriter based in Melbourne, Australia. It’s a career path that has clearly led to a jaundiced view of the lack of training and qualifications in marketing.
Delusions of Brandeur pokes a satirical stick at the marketing industry. If you’re a fan of the work of Gary V, Simon Sinek or David Shingy, it’s a must read. If not you’ll get the gag and should read it anyway.
I plan to quote frequently from the book in the coming months. It’s so good that I may even credit Wellman.
