Choice Review

Using his expansive consumer research and trend expertise, Solomon (Auburn Univ.) describes the erosion of mass marketing practices and provides a convincing argument for the shift toward narrow niche marketing strategies better known as customer loyalty. The branding desires and habits of today's complex consumer are defined in Solomon's work as "consumerspace," where product loyalty provides meaning and therefore connectivity among consumer groups of similar interests and tastes. A guide for marketing professionals, this work is organized by first breaking down familiar marketing paradigms acquired from social science and behavioral studies. The author discusses how mass marketing practices, once effective selling tools, are becoming diluted by a variety of interests, endless choices, and instant communication and feedback available to consumers. Solomon moves on to detail current social trends and demonstrates how each trend equates to new marketing strategies promoting customer loyalty. He offers a comprehensive chapter on the downside of consumer materialism exemplified by negative actions on the part of some small anticonsumerism fringe groups. Solomon provides usable solutions for practitioners and students of marketing. ^BSumming Up: Recommended. Public, academic (lower-division undergraduate through faculty), and professional library collections. D. J. Rochester Walsh College of Accountancy and Business Administration