The Open Brand
By Kelly Mooney and Nita Rollins, Ph. D.
ISBN-10: 0321544234
ISBN-13: 978-0321544230
Paperback, 208 pages
March 14, 2008
New Riders Press
Reviewed by Sabrina Williams


As social networking via the Internet continues to explode and branch off into new avenues, it is inevitable that standard advertising methods are becoming increasingly antiquated and ineffective. According to Kelly Mooney and Nita Rollins in The Open Brand: When Push Comes to Pull in a Web-Made World, today's tech-savvy consumer demands a larger role in brand establishment. More importantly, the influence they wield over prospective customers is unlimited.

Successful brands know that in order to build a reputation and gather repeat customers, they must create an interactive, on-demand experience for the public. Easily accessible reviews, forums, and 24/7 customer service are minimum requirements. The days of static sites are past and brick-and-mortar stores are finding it more difficult to operate without Web accessibility. Customers demand a personalized experience that focuses on their own unique needs rather than a generic message.

In addition, a brand must appeal to a customer's sense of ego and identity. Shoppers rely more than ever on the suggestions of friends, viewing standard advertising as seedy manipulation. Today's consumers can easily train themselves to ignore ads and commercials. But knowledgeable friends and colleagues are not limited to those consumers interact with on a personal level. The Internet has propelled a legion of nobodies to seemingly overnight fame and continues to uncover new celebrities on a daily basis.

Here we arrive at the core message of The Open Brand, that anybody, anywhere, has the ability to make a brand through simple word of mouth, using the Internet as a platform. Part two chronicles the "rise of the iCitizen," noting seventeen influential self-made online celebrities, including Dane Cook, Perez Hilton, and Harriet Klausner, and why industries should care what they have to say. YouTube, MySpace, and Blogger are just some of the outlets that allow any average person to experience their "15 minutes of fame."

Mooney and Rollins have an eye for trends, and focus on several companies that have already successfully immersed themselves in this new arena of branding. Much of the book lists suggestions for building a brand and utilizing the limitless resources the Internet has to offer. As a blogger, I was particularly interested in the authors' emphasis on the influence us common folk have. It is clear they consider bloggers an important outlet to marketing. They also list some pretty surprising regulations that most people probably aren't even aware exist. The glossary is also a useful tool. Until I read this book, I used RSS on a daily basis, but never knew what the acronym stood for. Now I do.

The layout of the book's graphics and text makes its source (marketing experts) apparent. Large, attention-grabbing fonts and contrasting colors create a fun reading experience. The messages are short, to the point, and effective. The principles within could be utilized by large companies or the blogger next door, but are essential for building a name in the current state of networking.

Related article:
O.P.E.N. for Business: The Future of Branding in a Web-Made World