The Playmaker's Standard | The Strategy of Influence

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You run plays. Plays are run on you. In business, it's what Pepsi does to thwart Coke, and vice versa. In politics, it's what White House strategists do to propel an agenda and win elections. In pop culture, it's what Oprah Winfrey does to build her personal brand and seduce her public audience.

They are Playmakers, and so are you—advancing ideas, seeding marketplace discussions, positioning products, de-positioning competitors, embracing allies, and moving your programs forward.

Chemists have the periodic table of elements. Economists have game theory. Those whose work centers on strategy, positioning, and influence have no framework. That is, until now.



What They're Saying
Dell Computer
“If you’re in the business of running plays – and who isn’t – The Playmaker’s Standard is an essential decision tool for holding back competitors and driving message. We’ve used it, and it works.”
Andy Lark, VP, Global Communications & Marketing
June 11, 2008

Dow Corning Corporation
“By understanding the plays we could run (or that could be run on us), we were able to better analyze what was happening in the external world and anticipate how that might affect us. The workshop exercises are fun and instructive….applying a rational approach to what otherwise might be just intuitive.”
Jan Botz Executive Director, Chief Communications Officer
June 16, 2008

The Wall Street Journal
The Plan Behind That Power Play (subscription required)
Lynne D. Johnson
November 1, 2006

The Measurement Standard
"This is one of those books that eats its way into your brain and, to borrow Apple's tagline (but mangle some grammar), it makes you 'think different.' "
Katie Delahaye Paine
January 16, 2007

The Smart Lemming
"Buy the book; it’s a great marketing read. I consider this a classic that deserves to sit next to my Kotler marketing books."
Lori Grant
December 20, 2006

Happenings
April 17, 2008
Join us for a free webinar on Playmaking!
Please join us for a 30 - 60 minute webinar on the basics of Playmaking. Session is on Thursday, March 20 at Noon Eastern. Sign Up Now!

April 2, 2008
USC Annenberg School JOUR 599 Blog Now Live!
"Master Class at USC" Blog can be found on plays2run.com. Entries by the students of JOUR 599: Strategies of Influence: Managing Message, Reput... read more

January 13, 2008
USC ANNENBERG ANNOUNCES FIRST-EVER COURSE FOR PLANNING AND MAPPING COMMUNICATION STRATEGY
Students Will Use “Periodic Table of Influence” and Web Tools to Break Down and Prescribe Campaigns of Businesses, Politicians and Pop Stars

October 12, 2007
Plays for the Presidency to Debut on XM Satellite Radio
XM Channel 130, POTUS 08, Friday morning at 8:15 a.m. EST