Shaping Youth Through The Age of Conversation e-Book: A First-Ever Worldwide Blog Collaboration to Benefit Children's Charity

Amy Jussel, Founder of Shaping Youth (a nonprofit concerned with media and marketing's impact on kids) is a co-author of The Age of Conversation, perhaps the first-of-its-kind probono collaboration via the internet. Spearheaded by marketing pros Drew McClellan and Gavin Heaton, this unusual book involves more than 100 marketing voices who blog from 24 states and 10 nations; all leaders in their field who have never met each other, coming together to contribute a book chapter in their given area of expertise. The Age of Conversation is changing the face of social networking, media engagement and digital dialog ... Even the book itself was produced online via Lulu.com's book technology. Available in hardback, paperback, and digital download. All proceeds benefit Variety, the Children's Charity.

San Mateo, CA (PRWEB) July 16, 2007 -- A leading S.F. Bay Area nonprofit blogger is part of what may be the first-of-its-kind collaboration via the internet, involving 103 marketing professionals who blog from 24 states and 10 nations.

Bay Area Peninsula resident and child advocate Amy Jussel, Founder of Shaping Youth (http://www.shapingyouth.org) joined with marketing pros Drew McClellan and Gavin Heaton who originated this online global effort, to author a chapter in The Age of Conversation, publishing July 16.

The Age of Conversation (http://www.shapingyouth.org/blog/?p=412) book has an unusual story behind it, involving online connections between people around the world who have never met each other. In addition to the e-version, the book will be available in hardcover and paperback. All proceeds from sales of the book will be donated to Variety, the Children's Charity (http://www.varietychildrenscharity.org/).

Amy Jussel's widely read blog (http://www.shapingyouth.org) about media and marketing's influence on kids has vaulted onto the national scene and Amy Jussel herself has been selected as one of the U.S. representatives at the Women Leaders for the World (http://www.gwln.org) summit honored to be deemed a "woman worthy of support" along with 20 global delegates.

Jussel says, "It may sound like I'm 'sleeping with the enemy' co-authoring this book; I might be sharing the pages with a cadre of experts engaged in the very tactics that I'm counter-marketing."

The title of Shaping Youth's chapter in the Age of Conversation? "Mommy, why is that lady licking a beer bottle? -- Ethics & Accountability in Advertising."

"My confidence is solid that these particular marketers have a conscience attached to their credibility, and words worthy of examining," said Jussel. "I'm cautiously optimistic that these are 'the good guys' of responsible marketing. As with any open-source endeavor and global conversation, you don't know the folks personally, but you GET to know them through dialogue, and so far I've been impressed."

When Amy Jussel was asked why she was so excited about teaming with marketers worldwide when Shaping Youth rails against excessive kids' consumerism and some of the more toxic media messages, she responded:

"Not one penny of profit will be taken from this generous effort, including eBook purchases by the authors themselves," said Jussel. "Variety, the Children's Charity receives 100% of our book profits, so that says something about the character of my co-authors. I LOVE the passion of 'paying it forward' where we all support a cause enough to give of ourselves completely with no strings, no perks, no quid pro quo, no nonsense."

Jussel added, "Besides, they know where I stand; they've read my work. The fact that they read Shaping Youth and STILL invited me to co-author means they're interested in a multi-faceted conversation, not a monologue or a how-to book! Granted, I'm a bit of a maverick in the mix, but hey, what else is new."

The two marketing pros that originated this massive international project are Drew McLellan, blogging at Drew's Marketing Minute (http://www.drewsmarketingminute.com/2007/04/heres_to_the_co.html) and Gavin Heaton, blogging at Servant of Chaos (http://servantofchaos.typepad.com/) in Australia; both recognized as being among the 25 most-read marketing blogs in the world.

Like the internet's rapidfire speed, the book launched in a nanosecond back in March, when McLellan wrote about Wharton's effort to create a collaborative book, and Heaton commented, "Sounds like it could be fun ... but you know what, Drew? Between a few of us we could knock out a short book and publish it; all we need is a theme and a charity." Three e-mails later, done deal.

"The Age of Conversation was the perfect topic…The marketing industry is abuzz about how the citizen marketers are changing the landscape, and this book captures that new phenomenon," McClellan said. They received commitments from 103 authors in less than a week, by inviting other marketing professionals from their blogs.

The Age of Conversation will be available in all three formats on July 16.

Prices will be: e-book: $9.99 ($7.99 going to charity)

Paperback book: $16.95 ($8.10 to charity)

Hardback book: $29.99 ($8.55 to charity)

Orders will be taken online at The Age of Conversation bookstore (http://stores.lulu.com/ageofconversation) on Lulu.

Co-author Amy Jussel is proud to announce the 'birth' of her first book endeavor coincides with the birth of her (now 12-year-old) daughter the same day, July 16th.

About Shaping Youth: Shaping Youth (http://www.shapingyouth.org/blog/?p=73) flips media messages to kids in a healthier direction with the help of industry insiders through counter-marketing entertainment and media awareness. The consortium of pros is aligning with parents, academics, corporations and organizations, ready to use the power of media for positive change and shift harmful messages in a more positive direction. Shaping Youth is a nonprofit, with no political, religious, or censorship agenda; its only 'cause' is the emotional and physical well-being of children. Amy Jussel's counter-marketing workshops have been a huge hit with kids and adults alike and will launch to the public in 2007. Her blog serves as a vital resource, reporting the good, the bad, and the ugly of media and marketing's influence on children.

Contact:

Amy Jussel

Founder, Executive Director

ShapingYouth (http://www.shapingyouth.org)

650-349-9311

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