#BrandVandals out October

Steve Earl and I have just put our second book called #BrandVandals to bed. The practical guide to reputation wreckers and building better defences will be published by Bloomsbury in print and ebook formats in October.

It’s a follow-up to Brand Anarchy published 18-months ago.

The response to Brand Anarchy took us both by surprise. It exceeded all sales expectations thanks to positive write-ups on Amazon, blogs and industry trade magazines, and has been recommended as a text for students of brand communications, marketing and public relations.

It turns out that books are an excellent form of media to communicate with communication professionals.

Whenever we are asked to speak about Brand Anarchy people want to know two things: firstly, how bad can it get; can you share some examples? and secondly, is there a solution?

#BrandVandals answers both of these questions.

Engagement isn't an option

It’s a book in two parts: the first half looks at the damage that Internet-empowered individuals can cause organisations. The second half proposes some answers for the future of organisational communications. In fact the final chapter explores the steps you need to take to get cracking in 90 days.

The book explores the dirtiest corner of a brands’ audiences – the people who are mobilising themselves day-in day-out to cause reputational damage to organisations that they dislike. The Internet allows them to wreak havoc, but it also forces a level of engagement and dialogue that organisations, public and private, have never had to contemplate before.

Engagement isn't an option – it's a necessity. Brands are going to have to get to grips with media change, audience engagement and more agile communications.

However they’re also going to need to be well prepared for the vandals too, with a smart approach to not only dealing with the threat of their deadliest reputation enemies, but turning their criticism and attempts at image sabotage into a positive.

Since the publication of Brand Anarchy Steve and I have gone our separate ways professionally, leaving Speed, the agency that we founded in 2009. After 14 years of working together and building two progressive public relations agencies, we have both moved to roles at world-leading firms.

Steve is building European operations and advising clients on how to build greater value through converged media for Zeno Group, a sister company of Edelman, while I’m working at Ketchum in Europe helping clients get to grips with digital and social media.

Thanks for your ideas and comments

The book has been written using many of the techniques that we advocate. A content plan was developed, working with Bloomsbury, and then drafts were shared in real time using Internet-based services.

We shared ideas via our blogs, Facebook and Twitter, welcoming comments on early drafts. We're hugely grateful for your ideas and comments along the way, many of which have made it into the book. We aim to practice what we preach.

If you’re an academic, blogger or journalist we’d love you to review #BrandVandals. Please contact Sophia Blackwell (@SophiaBlackwell) at Bloomsbury.

Meanwhile here’s a teaser to whet your appetite.