The Penguin's Progress — Stephen Brown

BrandLand is in turmoil. Once the happy habitat of Tony the Tiger and Cadbury's drumming gorilla, BrandLand's delicate ecosystem is being destroyed by the economic downturn. Anarchy reigns as iconic brand animals like Tux, the Linux penguin, Geoffrey, the Toys 'R Us giraffe, and Leo, the MGM lion, engage in a Darwinian struggle for survival. The law of the jungle prevails. In an attempt to restore order, the Advertising Character Management Executive orders a cull of promotional penguins. Bella Adélie, a feisty descendent of the P-P-P-Penguin chocolate snack dynasty, sets out to save her species from extinction. Accompanied by a smart-aleck meerkat and a lusty yet loveable lynx, she journeys along the dangerous highways and deadly byways of BrandLand, seeking a meeting with Mr Kipling, ACME's chief executive. En route, she encounters a host of unforgettable brand characters, from Hello Kitty to Captain Birdseye, and discovers the secrets of life, love and long-term market leadership. An amusing hybrid of Animal Farm and In Search of Excellence, The Penguin's Progress is the most quirky book about branding since Naomi Klein's No Logo. It brings branding to life by bringing brand icons to life. It's Shrek with advertising characters instead of fairytale characters. It's LOL, OMG and WTF in one. It's branding like you wouldn't believe.