Microtrends – the new Freakonomics?

By Carmen 

Hachette Book Group sent around a press release yesterday trumpeting Jonathan Karp‘s newest acquisition for his new imprint – which, oddly enough, is still called Warner Twelve (shouldn’t the name change be made public already??) Anyway, said acquisition is political consultant to the stars – including Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and billionaire Bill GatesMichael Penn‘s MICROTRENDS, which will “explain how it is the small trends that are making a big difference in the world, and how understanding those trends is crucial to innovation, effective communication, and success.” The book is slated for publication in fall 2007, but no financial details were disclosed.

“World leaders and business executives listen carefully to Mark Penn’s advice because he sees patterns the rest of us overlook,” said Karp. “He does this through sophisticated polling and his remarkable power of observation. MICROTRENDS will convey the essence of Penn’s groundbreaking vision and work.”

Said Penn: “If you want to understand what’s going on in the world today, you need to study not just the one or two big trends, but rather what’s going on underneath. I’ve wanted to write this book for a long time, and I’m looking forward to this new challenge.”