December 11, 2007

Book Review - Microtrends

Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Tomorrow's Big Changes
Mark J. Penn with E. Kinney Zalesne
HB 3505 .P44 2007

Polling expert and advisor to both Bill and Hillary Clintons' campaigns, Mark J. Penn relies on statistical data to identify emerging trends. He asserts that the United States is no longer a melting pot, but instead a collection of small communities each with their own tastes and lifestyles. Success, both in politics and in business, lies in seeking out these groups and identifying their microtrends. Penn's book discusses fifteen categories of communities and the trends that he sees emerging from them. Nearly every aspect of life is fair game--from relationships to religion, teens to technology, food to family life. This is a fascinating and revealing book that will leave you doubting "conventional wisdom."