Smart Business magazine reviews Gonzo Marketing

"Solo albums seldom surpass those of the original band; the whole usually proves greater than the sum of its parts. But with the publication of Gonzo Marketing: Winning Through Worst Practices (Perseus, 2001), Christopher Locke trashes that assumption and just about everything else. Appearing without his Cluetrain Manifesto: The End of Business As Usual (Perseus, 2001) coconspirators Rick Levine, Doc Searls, and David Weinberger, Locke has penned an astute critique of traditional marketing. Though Gonzo expands upon Cluetrain themes, it's nonetheless a pleasure to read, something that cannot be said of most business books. Locke himself makes that point by citing a fictional Forrester Research report, 'The Snooze Factor: Sleepy Time in the Management Aisle.' In the associated endnote, he confesses that the report does not exist, though he goes on to support his contention that most management books could moonlight as sleeping pills.

Locke's playful mockery isn't without substance, however -- authoritative quotes from the Harvard Business Review abound. Locke argues persuasively that 'the fundamental message of marketing must change from 'we want your money' to 'we share your interests.' ' But the actual methods for making this transition could use further explanation. For example, Locke proposes that corporations underwrite online communities and small-time Web sites as a way to reach niche markets. But while the author successfully markets himself and his ideas through his own Weblog, other examples of the Gonzo method remain largely untested. Even so, for those who recognize that high-handed corporate hubris leaves a bad taste in consumers' mouths, or for anyone hungry for a good laugh, Locke's witty irreverence and good-natured contempt for 'business as usual' make spicy food for thought."

NOTE - the review is by Thomas Claburn, who blogs here: www.lot49.com.