Standing in the bookstore, the jacket of this book caught my eye, so I decided to thumb through it and then buy it. I have an interest in China, largely because I see the country as a very important part of all of our futures. Still, I know very little about China. So, I wondered whether "Billions" would be accessible to me. Boy, was it! To my great surprise, a book on consumer marketing opened my eyes to, and brought to life, an entire culture that, as Mr. Doctoroff describes it, is both utterly foreign and worthy of great respect. The book is sharply written. It is also quite lively. Looking through the prism of advertising, one through which all readers can gaze (given that we are exposed the medium on a daily basis), China comes alive. We see how its history, religion, values and psychology are all profoundly different than our own. The thing that comes across most clearly is that, while Chinese want to be modern and successful, they definitely don't want to be western. They value their own rich culture too much. Certainly, advertisers hawking their wares in China will be at a loss if they forget this lesson (or ignore this book). But, so too will politicians, diplomats and anyone else who endeavors to interact with or understand the Chinese. In writing this book, Mr. Doctoroff has provided truly a valuable service. Of course, he gives us a basic but far reaching tutorial on advertising, one that unlocks many of the profession's secrets. (The lessons Mr. Doctoroff has learned from his lengthy tenure as an advertising executive in China literally spew forth from the book's pages, albeit in a way that is quite digestable.) But in treating China as the next vital frontier, in allowing us to understand the mysteries of this distant but omnipresent land, Mr. Doctoroff allows us to better grapple with the challenges and opportunities ahead. I loved this book.
