What Publicity can do
Hugo Chavez should have been munching on a Taco at some food joint somewhere on a dusty street in Venezuela. Instead he becomes the country's president. And now, add to that, he has helped country cousin Uruguayan author Eduardo Galeano, turn into a bestselling author with book sales that have vaulted his anti-imperialist rant, 'Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent', to No. 2 on Amazon's list of top sellers.
How did Chavez manage the latter feat? Note, Zero Advertising. The one publicity act. He gifted the book to Obama, darling of the socialist crowd.
The marketing lesson here is the lesson of publicity. To get a publicity ball rolling big time, you need for two things to happen. The people involved in the incident have to be media darlings for whatever reasons. And it must happen in the full view of the very same media. Note, having both broadcast and print lap up such an event is even better.
In fact, US News and World Report is even calling Mr. Chavez "the next Oprah, at least when it comes to selling books." Chávez presented the book, which has inspired generations of Latin American leftists, to Mr. Obama at the Fifth Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago this weekend.
Imagine, if such leftist nonsense can sell, what can't? But remember, publicity. That's the key.
How did Chavez manage the latter feat? Note, Zero Advertising. The one publicity act. He gifted the book to Obama, darling of the socialist crowd.
The marketing lesson here is the lesson of publicity. To get a publicity ball rolling big time, you need for two things to happen. The people involved in the incident have to be media darlings for whatever reasons. And it must happen in the full view of the very same media. Note, having both broadcast and print lap up such an event is even better.
In fact, US News and World Report is even calling Mr. Chavez "the next Oprah, at least when it comes to selling books." Chávez presented the book, which has inspired generations of Latin American leftists, to Mr. Obama at the Fifth Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago this weekend.
Imagine, if such leftist nonsense can sell, what can't? But remember, publicity. That's the key.
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