From Publishers Weekly

MIT Sloan School of Management vets Gloor and Cooper strip "cool" of its cool in this half-baked introductory lesson to trendspotting. Beginning with a definition of "cool" that includes "excellent," "fun" and "makes the world a better place, in some way," the authors show how the excellent, fun iPod is truly cool because it's "keeping kids out of trouble." Strung together with the thinnest of strings, this textbook-style read covers a double-handful of basic new media concepts, including the "swarm," a future-predicting, trendsetting collectivity; the "coolhunters" who get down in the trenches, uncovering those swarms; and the "coolfarmers," nurturing know-it-alls who encourage the fruition of nascent creativity. Redundancy creeps in early, as the repetition of these terms-along with the mantra, "don't be a star, be a galaxy"-may lead readers to question whether Gloor and Cooper have a grasp on the latest trends in trendspotting. The authors' advice-brainstorm with others, the best ideas come from unlikely places, etc.-is mostly familiar, having been put to use by everyone from Ben Franklin to Google, but at least it's reliable.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"Coolhunting reports on useful techniques for helping to see what’s coming.Wrap it in a plain brown wrapper,and read it surreptitiously." -- Tom Davenport, Harvard Business Online

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"...Coolhunting is a skill we all need to master. This book, entertaining and informative..., is a terrific place to start." --Jack Covert, 800-CEO-READ Blog

“Marketers, especially the online variety, and anyone else chasing what’s cool, will want to read the new AMACOM book Coolhunting .” -Ted Kinni, Reading Writing Management Blog

“If success in business means determining your core business and then adapting that core as our customers' needs change quickly, then coolhunting is a skill we all need to master. This book, entertaining and informative about current culture, is a terrific place to start.”

-Jack Covert, 800-CEO-READ Blog

“Coolhunting is an entirely different experience and targets those of us who are fascinated by social networks, how they work, and what's ‘cool.’" -- AllThingsWorkplace.com

“Gloor and Cooper provide a real-world, practical approach to hunting something as elusive and illusory as 'coolness'.” -- Soundview Executive Book Summaries

“The authors write in a style that is easy for those outside of their cutting-edge mindset to understand." --Midwest Book Review

“Helping to ‘elucidate the culture of cool’ this book is fascinating… based on solid and credible field research…“ – Inside Retailing

“…For those keen to mine the wealth of information available in online communities…virtues of social network analysis are clearly demonstrated…an inspiring read…”-- B&T Weekly

“There are many layers to this book, but readers will leave convinced that social networks hold the key to the future.” – BizEd magazine

“An invaluable tool for businesses of all sizes…will show you how to stay ahead of the curve and on the cutting edge.” -- Strictly Business.com