Book reviews

The Art of Promotion

by Lisa L Cyr

(Rockport Publishers, paperback, 2005, 159pp, $44.95)
 

While some people take the view that ideas for promoting your products or services are best left to marketing and design professionals, ideally you should begin with some ideas of your own.

Each case study generally has a “technical tips” box and many have additional practical tips on how to budget save by “Doing it for less”.

Divided into four main chapters canvassing: unconventional surfaces and printing techniques, unique constructions, folds and die-cuts, interesting bindings, fasteners and wraps and alternative uses.

Future directions in brand development, entrepreneurial initiatives, collaborative endeavours and lucrative market venues are also explored

The book will be particularly useful for entrepreneurs seeking inspiration for a promotional campaign as they embark on a new launch or re-branding effort

Israel in the World: Changing Lives Through Innovation 

By Douglas Davis and Helen Davis

(Weidenfield & Nicholson, 2005, hardcover, 227pp, $59.95)

Israel in the World: Changing Lives Through Innovation includes a foreword by media mogul Rupert Murdoch and looks beyond the Mid-East conflict, focusing instead on Israel’s achievements in the areas of science, medicine, agriculture and outreach.

Despite being a young country of some 56 years, and around the size of Tasmania, Israeli inventions and innovations can be found in most corners of the globe.

The book catalogues over 70 significant Israeli innovations accompanied by colorful images on every page. Each case study also introduces the reader to the people who made such progress possible, describes how the invention came about and how it is being used around the world today.

 Some of the Israeli innovations canvassed in the book include

·       SMS and voice mail messages;

·       anti-virus software;

·       Pentium processing chips;

·       voice-sensitive technology that reveals, over the telephone, whether or not someone is telling the truth;

·       flash technology that allows huge amounts of computer data to be stored on a key chain;

·       a miniature, disposable video camera that can be fitted into a capsule and swallowed, giving doctors thousands of images of a person’s intestines; and

·       an ICQ chat facility software used by millions of internet surfers every day, all of which were first developed in Israel.
 

If you have an entrepreneurial streak, you will enjoy this book, already in its third print run.