Brand Anarchy: Managing Corporate Reputation [Paperback]

The authors are two experienced journalists turned PR practitioners who have worked on reputation management with major organisations such as IBM and Tesco and they have interesting observatiosn to make about the challenges facing traditional media from the rapid growth of digital. There is good analysis of the different models newspapers are using to adapt to the digital age. Earl and Waddington then look at how companies manage their reputations in the digital age. Organisations are still typically broadcasting their content to their audience rather than engaging. Shifting from traditional forms of corporate communication to social forms of communication requires a change in style and tempo of language, they say. --Frank Dillon, The Irish Times

At under a tenner, the book is good value. For the PR newbie to the senior account editor, there's plenty here. While the more senior social media practitioner may know the theory the authors present, the new interviews dotted about the book give it a freshness. Overall, it's a must-read for most in the PR industry. For the majority of the PRs in the UK, this should be their main summer read. One of the better professional books of 2012. Craig McGill, The Drum
Offers a powerful manifesto for PR-schooled practitioners to assume leadership of digital and social media channels, primarily by taking greater responsibility for planning and measurement. The challenge the authors set to the PR industry is to understand the opportunity of the internet's inherent measurability, and to take advantage of it before savvy marketers from other disciplines try to eat their (new) lunch. This book is therefore recommended either as a defensive or instructional read for all B2B marketers.- Dan Roche, Head of Communications, Azzurri
There's a whole raft of books out there about managing reputations online and how brands should engage on social media, but there are a few reasons why Brand Anarchy is more relevant than most. Firstly, it's written by two guys who have been not only on the journalist and PR side of things, but at the coalface of social media campaigns. Many brands are still trapped in inertia on social media and engagement. Those brands should read Brand Anarchy and act upon their learnings. --Chris Lee, Planet Content

This book is particularly useful for 'old school,' as well as new PRs, as it is written in a style that public relations professionals will understand and relate to. They have also managed to include interviews from some heavy hitters such as Alastair Campbell, Greg Dyke and Seth Godin. If you're an experienced PR, or someone still studying to become one, this book is for you. If you are a brand manager or marketing manager who has no real dealings with your PR department- then this book is for you also. This book gets five stars from me.- Andrew Grill, London Calling
This is a really good book for anyone involved in journalism, marketing or communications. Unlike so many books on the subject, it is grounded in common sense, properly analytical and supports its propositions with instructive case studies and anecdotes. It's also well written.- Business Traveller
I would regard Brand Anarchy as one of the most useful PR books I've read- rarely turning a page without learning something new. It is not limited to those working in the field of reputation management and should be marked as essential reading for students and entry-level professionals. I recommend it to anyone wanting to further develop his or her insight into our vastly changing media landscape. On an end note, this book has reshaped the way I will plan future PR activity. --Stephen Johnson, My Digital Footprint

Steve Earl (@mynameisearl) is a trained news journalist who went into public relations in the infancy of the Internet boom at the end of the 1990s. He has handled national and international campaigns for some of the world's largest brands. He co-founded Rainier PR, which is now Speed's technology team, in 1998, having worked for Brodeur and Weber Shandwick. Steve holds a Diploma in Newspaper Journalism from Cardiff School of Journalism, and specialised in newspaper reporting, government and media law. Stephen Waddington (@wadds) is a former journalist who moved into public relations in the early 1990s to work with British technology start-ups. He has consulted some of the world's largest technology brands and is a regular commentator on and public speaker on public relations, in particular on digital communication techniques. He sits on the PRCA Council, the CIPR Council and is a member of the CIPR s social media panel. Stephen co-founded Rainier PR, which is now Speed's technology team, in 1998, having worked for Brodeur and Weber Shandwick. Stephen holds a BEng (Hons) in Electronics from the University of Salford.