alexbrown, Author at Alex Brown

Hierarchy of Trust: A Framework

Trust Hierarchy Model, by Alex Brown and Matt Ray

Transparency, data security, and corporate responsibility are constantly scrutinized, businesses are challenged to navigate the complex system of customer trust dynamics. Trust has become the currency of successful companies to build emotional loyalty with its best customers. Without a structured approach to building and maintaining trust, even the most established brands can falter. Trust to drive emotional loyalty.

This article is the first in a series that explores the relationship between brand and consumer trust. This essay introduces the ‘Hierarchy of Trust,’ a foundational framework that outlines how businesses can systematically build and maintain trust across four levels: Brand Experience and Value Exchange, Data Protection and Personalization, Brand Values and Ethical Practices, and finally, Societal Impact. This framework ensures brands build lasting relationships with current and prospective customers.

In the hierarchy, trust is built sequentially. Higher levels are dependent on the foundation laid by the preceding levels. A business cannot effectively gain trust in its ethical practices and societal values (levels 3 and 4) if it fails to meet the basic expectations of its customers through the value exchange (levels 1 and 2).

Brand Experience & Value Exchange

At the foundational level, a business must consistently deliver a great brand experience as part of a fair value exchange—the essence of first-level trust. This experience goes beyond merely meeting customer expectations; it establishes a strong relationship by anticipating customer needs. This experience includes intuitive design, excellent customer support, and delivering consistent quality.

Amazon has perfected its brand experience and customer value exchange by relentlessly focusing on customer-centric innovation. The company consistently delivers on its promise of fast and reliable delivery—sometimes within just a few hours—and has implemented a customer-first mentality with policies like its single click ordering and “A-to-Z Guarantee.” Additionally, it delivers a seamless, intuitive experience across all platforms, reinforcing its mission to become Earth’s most customer-centric company.

An outstanding customer experience creates two broad outcomes for a business. The customer’s trust increases and is therefore more inclined to become a loyal customer. And secondly, the customer may also become an advocate for the business, enabling the business’s organic growth.

Once a business has established a strong first-level trust by consistently delivering an excellent customer experience and maintaining a fair value exchange, it must then shift its focus to the next phase: the second level of trust. This phase is characterized by the crucial tasks of safeguarding customer data and enhancing personalization, which helps form the foundation of the evolving trust relationship.

The second level of trust is made up of two essential parts. The first part is the protection of customer data acquired through user interactions, ensuring its security and transparency about its collection, storage, and use. Customers need to trust that their personal information is safeguarded from breaches and misuse, as even a single breach can instantly erode years of trust and loyalty. The second part involves how this data is leveraged to offer personalized experiences. When done ethically and transparently, personalization allows businesses to tailor their products and services to individual preferences, leading to exceptional customer relationships.

Data Protection and Compliance

In a 2024 Civic Science survey, 56% of consumers reported that they are not at all likely to trust a company that has experienced a data breach with their personal information in the future. Data breaches, such as the infamous Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal, vividly illustrate how a failure in second-level trust can lead to far-reaching consequences. Despite Facebook’s efforts to position itself as a platform for social connection, its inability to protect user data severely eroded trust at the foundational level. The scandal resulted in a massive drop in consumer confidence, regulatory fines—including a $5 billion penalty from the FTC—and the viral #DeleteFacebook movement. It underscored the long-lasting damage a data breach can have on a company’s reputation and highlighted the critical importance of damage mitigation and safeguarding customer information.

In contrast, companies like Apple have set the standard for customer data protection. Apple consistently emphasizes privacy as a core value, incorporating features like data encryption and offering transparency on how data is collected and used. With initiatives such as “App Tracking Transparency,” Apple gives users control over which apps can track their activity across other apps and websites. This dedication to protecting user privacy has not only helped Apple avoid major data breaches but has also positioned the brand as a leader in digital privacy.

To safeguard customer information, businesses must first comply with data privacy regulations like GDPR, which requires obtaining informed consent from customers for data collection and usage. However, compliance alone is not enough. Companies must also implement transparent data usage policies and provide customers with control over how their personal information is used. This not only strengthens trust but also enhances the customer experience by ensuring they feel valued rather than exploited.

Personalization

The ongoing and transparent use of data to better personalize the customer experience is critical to building mutually beneficial relationships. Trust is built through consistent, positive experiences over time. Just as in long-term personal relationships—where personalization and mutual understanding deepen the bond—businesses must earn trust by exceeding customer expectations and protecting their interests. Consumers are more likely to trust a brand when they feel that their personal information is being handled responsibly and when they see tangible benefits, such as personalized recommendations, from sharing that data.

By continually learning from customer data, companies like Netflix and Spotify create bespoke experiences for each user, enhancing trust through every interaction. Netflix, for instance, uses sophisticated algorithms to analyze viewing habits, making personalized recommendations that align with individual preferences. This seamless and relevant experience makes users feel understood and valued, deepening their trust in the platform. Similarly, Spotify curates personalized playlists like “Discover Weekly” or “Your Daily Mix” based on listening patterns, ensuring that users are consistently delighted by new music that matches their tastes. By showing users that their data is being used to enhance their experience, these companies build a relationship rooted in both trust and satisfaction.

This kind of personalization fosters a psychological connection where customers not only trust the service but also rely on it to cater to their specific and changing tastes and needs. The key to this success lies in transparency—both Netflix and Spotify ensure that users are aware of how their data is being used to benefit them. When personalization is done with the customer’s interests at the forefront, rather than the business’s short-term goals, it turns data into a tool for creating value, reinforcing trust with each interaction.

The first two levels of trust form the foundation of the “value exchange” between the business and its customers, and illustrate how the business directly cares for its customers. At its core, the “value exchange” refers to the relationship between what the customer provides—whether that be time, money, or personal data—and what the business offers in return, such as a product, service, or personalized experience. Ensuring this exchange feels fair and equitable is essential for establishing first- and second-level trust.

Once this foundational value exchange is achieved, brands can focus on strengthening their broader values and societal impact through the third and fourth levels of trust. Each level builds on the one before it, but businesses must continually reinforce and adapt the lower levels as customer expectations evolve. A company may champion strong environmental or social values (third- and fourth-level trust), but if it suffers a data breach or fails to provide a consistent, reliable customer experience, these broader efforts may be overshadowed by the failure to meet the foundational requirements.

Values

Third-level trust represents a business’s broader values and how those values manifest in its products or services. This includes everything from how the company treats its employees to how it ensures ethical practices throughout its entire value chain, from sourcing materials to delivering the final product. At this level, customers seek alignment between their personal values and the values a business claims to uphold. It’s not enough for a company to deliver a quality product; customers increasingly want to know how that product was made and whether the process aligns with their personal values.

Patagonia is a prominent example of a company that deeply understands and reflects its customers’ values through meaningful action. For instance, Patagonia’s “Worn Wear” program promotes the recycling and repair of its products, extending their life cycle and reducing environmental impact. This initiative demonstrates Patagonia’s commitment to sustainability, potentially at the cost of short-term sales, aligning with its environmentally conscious customer base.

Beyond Patagonia, brands like Ben & Jerry’s have also integrated third-level trust into their business models. Ben & Jerry’s ensures ethically sourcing of ingredients, including the use of Fair Trade-certified cocoa, sugar, and vanilla. By demonstrating a commitment to ethical sourcing, the company builds trust with consumers who share those values, proving that it’s possible to be both profitable and ethical.

Treating employees well and recruiting the right employees can serve as an additional benefit, in terms of advocacy. Employees that enjoy their work and are fairly rewarded for that work can become advocates for the businesses. This is especially important for customer-facing employees.

While third-level trust concerns how a company aligns its production values with customer expectations—such as ethical sourcing and fair treatment of workers—fourth-level trust expands this commitment to the company’s broader societal impact.

Societal Impact

The fourth level of trust reflects a company’s role as a leader or advocate on global issues such as climate change, social justice, or philanthropy. At this level, customers expect not only ethical business practices but also for the company to serve as a proactive force for good in the world.

Returning to Patagonia’s “Worn Wear” initiative, this program embodies third-level trust by promoting product longevity and recycling, reflecting the brand’s commitment to sustainability in both sourcing and operations. Patagonia goes beyond third-level trust by advocating for environmental policy reform and taking a firm stance on climate action, positioning itself as a true leader in environmental advocacy. This advocacy work—such as campaigns to protect public lands and reduce carbon emissions—propels the company into fourth-level trust. Customers don’t just trust Patagonia for its products, but because it champions values that deeply resonate with them.

Similarly, Ben & Jerry’s has successfully tapped into fourth-level trust by aligning its societal values with those of its customers. The company is well-known for its environmental activism, as well as its advocacy for social justice causes such as marriage and racial equity. By actively participating in these broader societal movements, Ben & Jerry’s has earned deep trust from customers who value more than just great ice cream—they value the company’s commitment to making the world a better place.

In the tech sector, companies like Salesforce have also achieved fourth-level trust by combining business success with strong corporate responsibility initiatives. Salesforce’s 1-1-1 model, which donates 1% of the company’s equity, products, and employee time to improving communities, is a prime example of how businesses can contribute to societal well-being. This philanthropic approach has helped Salesforce not only lead in its industry but also earn trust by demonstrating its dedication to social and community improvement.

As sustainability and corporate responsibility become more central to consumer decisions, businesses that actively demonstrate a commitment to societal good are more likely to build deep, long-lasting trust. Customers today are looking for companies that align with their values, making fourth-level trust a critical element for brands looking to differentiate themselves in a crowded market.

The second two levels of the trust hierarchy (3 and 4) demonstrate that a business cares not only for its customers but also for people beyond its direct consumer base and the planet.

Alignment and Loyalty

Ultimately, the key to building a fully trusted organization lies in the alignment of goals and values between the business, its customers, its employees, and society at large. When a company can consistently deliver on its promises at all levels of trust, it builds a relationship that fosters long-term loyalty, credibility, and positive societal impact.

Conversely, in some industries, first- and second-level trust can outweigh the importance of higher levels. Fast fashion brands, for example, often prioritize a consistent customer experience—delivering affordability and convenience—while placing less emphasis on their environmental footprint. Similarly, companies like Amazon and Apple have built their trust primarily through the quality and reliability of their products and services, even though they are less known for their leadership on social or environmental issues.

The ultimate goal is to build trust that results in emotional loyalty, the highest form of customer loyalty a business can achieve. Emotional loyalty goes beyond transactional loyalty—where customers return for practical reasons like pricing and convenience—and is rooted in a deep alignment of values between the business and its customers. Brands like Patagonia cultivated emotional loyalty by fostering a shared sense of purpose with their customers. Every purchase from these brands feels like a contribution to a larger movement. Instead of relying on discounts or rewards programs, they build loyalty by aligning their values with those of their customers, creating long-term trust and advocacy.

As the marketplace becomes more transparent and interconnected, businesses must continually ask themselves: Where do we stand in the hierarchy of trust?

By building upon each level of trust outlined in this article, companies can earn the emotional loyalty that will set them apart. In a world increasingly driven by trust, businesses that commit to this approach will not only survive but thrive.

By Alex Brown and Matt Ray, Course Leaders, Emeritus.org

(https://civicscience.com/heres-how-recent-cybersecurity-lapses-are-impacting-consumer-trust-and-behavior/).

Search era to Knowledge era, and its implications for marketers.

The shift from a search paradigm to a knowledge paradigm.

This article will explore the inevitable shift we are now seeing from an era that has been dominated by search, and the search engine, Google, to a new era that provides knowledge.

In the first era, which extended from the 1990s to the mid 2020s, we used search engines to gain knowledge. A user would go to a search engine, most often Google, key in their prompt – their keyword search query. The search engine would return several links, some paid links, and some organic links. This then required the user to click on one or several of those links, to start to answer their search query. This process was quite costly and inefficient for the user, in terms of time and effort to satisfy their query. But it also provided clicks, traffic, to the destination pages. This the content publishers’ “quid pro quo” with the search engine: we provide great content, you provide valuable traffic. This balance resulted in a huge business for Google.

In the knowledge era, the user goes to a knowledge engine, and keys in their prompt, and the knowledge engine answers the prompt directly on its page. The searcher might then follow some links, if they are available, to verify what they have learned. This requires far less effort for the user, as the knowledge engine is doing all the heavy lifting. Verifying the information, in case of hallucinations, has become the additional task. But that said, there’s real concern that this paradigm will insure less organic and paid clicks to the original sources of the content. This shift to the knowledge era is much more useful to web users. But it presents challenges to marketers who have relied on search as an important organic and paid acquisition channel.

Let’s look at some history.

In 1998, Google was born, and changed the search landscape almost immediately with its simple interface and its PageRank algorithm. PageRank recognized the importance of site authority, in combination with page relevance and keyword relevance, to organize its search results. Bye bye to Alta Vista, et al.

Since the late 1990s, Google has thoroughly dominated the search era. It has the dominant web browser, collecting enormous amounts of data through the chrome browser. Google is also the dominant analytics platform, and Gmail is the dominant email provider. Google owns more than 90% of the mobile search traffic, and has been able to capture hundreds of billions of dollars in value, through their ad platforms, principally from their search platform.

Since the late 1990s, Google has kept innovating in the search space, with the singular goal of providing better search results, to improve the trust it has with its users. This moved search from simple keyword matching, to semantically-related keyword search results, to the emergence of zero position content on the results page.

In the 2012 Google began to provide direct answers which didn’t require a click, through its knowledge panel results for entity-specific searches, and in 2014 it introduced featured snippets. This was Google’s early move towards the knowledge era. But clicks to destination pages still happened, and Google managed the fine balance of providing a great user experience while also sending traffic to those who provide the content on the internet.

Google’s move into the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning, to continue to improve its search results, began with updates to its Hummingbird algorithm, and more formally in 2015 with the introduction of its RankBrain algorithm. It used artificial intelligence to better understand user intent – the real meaning behind a search query – rather than relying solely in keyword matching. It could do this with natural language processing (NLP) and pattern recognition analysis of the search queries. Google was now also able to learn from user behaviour, and adjust its search results accordingly.

Neural Networks, a detour.

Recurrent Neural Networks, RNNs, were the neural network architecture of this time, but they had their limitations. They relied on processing language sequentially, which reduced the capability for longer-term memory, and thus were not an effective solution for knowledge generation.

In the Spring of 2017, eight Googlers authored the paper, “Attention is All You Need” and a new Neural Net architecture was born – Transformers. This self-attention model could process a collection of words together, rather than only each word in a sequence, processing data in parallel, rather than sequentially. It was better able to handle long range dependencies in sentence structure. Attention, in the name of the title of the paper, refers to the ability to focus on particular parts of a sentence, in natural language processing. Transformers refers to the notion of transforming information.

The eight authors of the paper have subsequently left Google. One, Lukasz Kaiser, joined OpenAI. This transformer architecture laid the foundation for BERT.

In October, 2018, Google rolled out its BERT algorithm (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers), a transformer-based language model, using the transformer architecture for language understanding. This helped Google better understand the nuances and context of language.

But then Google paused this direction of innovation. It clearly faced a significant challenge; Google was earning $146 billion in revenue from its search ads business in 2020, and the majority of that revenue came from its search business. Google needed to develop a similar business model for this emerging knowledge era. Google’s search era business model relies on clicks away from the search engine results page. The knowledge era is a threat to that model. Google had gone all in on its current pathway, despite inventing this new paradigm.

Clayton Christensen wrote the book, Innovators Dilemma. Was Google now becoming a new great case study for this seminal work from another era?

A second issue, no doubt, is the potential for hallucinations with this new architecture, and the issues this presents in terms of trust. Trust has been key to the success of Google’s search business. It is not clear that the transformer architecture can ever overcome the issues of hallucinations, as it is simply a prediction model, predicting the next token, rather than a reasoning model. But that’s for another article.

In November 2022, OpenAI rolled out ChatGPT. This AI interface interacts with OpenAI’s large language models, all based on the transformer architecture: GPT 3, 3.5, 4 and so on. GPT stands for Generative pre-trained transformer. To this date, the general public was unaware of transformer technology and its capabilities. It was like magic. You could put a prompt into the search box, and get your answer, without needing to navigate to links to seek out those answers. The tool was useful for much more than just search, but for search, it was a different experience.

The combination of hallucinations and the inability to provide links to verify the information that was created by the bot, caused issues with the adoption of this technology for search; but where there’s a problem, solutions develop in our innovation culture.

Nearly two years on, Perplexity.ai is one example of a knowledge engine which responds to prompts by first doing a search against the user’s prompt, and then running those results against a large language model. This allows perplexity.ai to create their novel responses, while also attributing these responses with the links discovered in the initial web search. A very clever work around. Similarly, OpenAI is rolling out SearchGPT. Google has rolled out Gemini, but appears to be playing a little catch up, and has made a few missteps along the way.

In Summary

Search was a means to an end. We don’t want to search and click and explore. We simply want answers to our questions; we want new understanding and new knowledge. Search required a lot of human effort. Knowledge engines provide answers. We can then check those answers, via attributions in those answers, or by follow up searches. But it is a different paradigm, where the engine is doing the work and synthesizing the results into a digestible format. Technology has now allowed us to make this shift.

Will Google dominate this knowledge era, much as they’ve dominated the search era, time will tell. It’s an open question. They did invent the technology that enables the knowledge era, but they hesitated in its roll out.

Implications for brands.

It may be several years before this new knowledge era fully plays out. But as brand marketers, we need to think about two key acquisition channels that we currently rely upon: paid search and organic search. Do we want our content to influence the returns from the large language models. We know this is a potentially big copyright issue for news media outlets, authors, artists and others who rely on their intellectual property for their livelihoods. But for brands, we want to be discovered. So we need to be in the training data.

Unlike with regular search, this is not a question of updating your content, then alerting the search engine to crawl your site. Large language models are updated infrequently. It’s an entirely different and expensive process.

And even if your data is included in the training of the LLMs, how are you able to use this to drive business success. In the search era it was clear, being well represented in search yielded direct clicks to your site. Being well represented in answers in the knowledge era, this is less clear. Certainly, it should help with branding, if you gain brand mentions in the answers. If the answers are attributed, then the knowledge engine is making it easier for the user to then follow up directly with you.

But do the rules of SEO, as dictated by Google for the last 25 years, apply to this knowledge era? They are perhaps a great starting point. SEO, over those 25 years has focused more and more on simply the provision of great content, to answer specific questions. That should still apply to the knowledge era. That great content needs to be understandable, and be useful in answering whatever niche questions that are important to you, and your business, throughout the customer journey for your ideal customers. And the meta data of that content, should make it easier for the engines to understand.

So SEO should be a good starting point. The challenge is to make sure you are in the training data in the first place.

For PPC, these knowledge engines have to find a viable business model. The freemium subscription model is likely not going to persist, nor generate enough positive revenue to cover the significant expense of training these LLMs and engaging with them. So a PPC model may emerge, but this may lag the use of these knowledge engines, much like early search PPC lagged the adoption of search. What this may mean for marketers, social media becomes a more important channel in the medium term.

Social has also taken some of the search traffic away from traditional search, and certainly with younger audience, social is where we spend significant amounts of our time. So ramping up a social media marketing strategy may be a good way to mitigate for the potential decline in PPC traffic in the short term.

Finally, what will the knowledge era really look like. Will it be centralized, as we have had for the search era, where one site, Google, archives the internet, and we search Google’s archive? Will Google, Perplexity, OpenAI or another player be able to take that position, and develop a viable business model that allows them to be the knowledge gatekeeper?

Or will it be fundamentally decentralized.

Each website may deploy its own knowledge app, that facilitates queries on that site’s domain of knowledge.

The possibilities are really interesting, the future is unclear and very exciting.

Weaponizing the Internet: how disinformation spreads

I spent several months researching to answer the question, why does disinformation spread, and how critical is this issue to our general discourse and to politics and fair elections, among other topics? The result of these months is a 15,000 word essay, Weaponizing the Internet. This is version 1.0, published on March 19, 2003.

I have now published version 2 of this essay, in October, 2023, Weaponizing the Internet V2.

Included in this essay are conspiracy theories like QAnon and Pizzagate, and the rise of alt-right sites like Breitbart News and InfoWars. I discuss how Trump exploited this environment, and how foreign powers are able to exploit our own rules for freedom of speech while maintaining a tight control of censorship at home. I also discuss how we are inherently lazy, and our needs to belong. And I note how the algorithms of social media platforms conspire to elevate disinformation.

Anyway, there’s a lot in there.

Fake news and truth, what really matters?

Edit: A more detailed look at this issue is in my most recent article: Weaponizing the Internet.

I have written about the importance of authenticity and transparency for brands in the era of digital, and coined the term, “free marketing” space. Free relates to freedom of speech, the notion that customers are no longer only influenced by a brand’s voice, but also by its customers’ feedback and reviews; thus, the truth really matters. Customers now easily express themselves, for all to read, based on their direct experiences with a brand. Offer a great experience, get a thoughtful, personal, five-star review. Short-change your customer and lookout!

What does this mean for us marketers? It means we need to try to provide an outstanding brand experience, at all times. Any missteps need to be handled with due care, and out in the open.

This sounds like an era of truth, where truth to the brand experience is paramount. So how can we rationalize this with the explosion of “fake news“?

Several aspects of this freedom brought on by the internet contrive to also create circumstances where fake news, disinformation, flourishes.

Freedom of Speech

Freedom of speech, which is enshrined in western democracies, also mean that anyone can speak, and speak about what they want, with only limited recourse; essentially, opinions can become more important than facts, if you repeat them often enough.

So while freedom of speech has been a very positive result of the internet, in terms of allowing customers to fully engage in the dialogue around brand experiences in the free marketing space, freedom of speech has also allowed nefarious actors (that can deploy a variety of troll mechanisms) to use those same freedoms to express their points of view. Essentially, the internet has provided them a fertile platform to spread their content far and wide.

Nefarious Actors

While the free marketing space allows consumers to easily share their opinions and feedback, it has also allowed Fake News websites to share their content. Sites like Infowars, Revolver and Breitbart share their stories and help provide substance to conspiracy theories that support the Anti-Vax community or QAnon. This content, and their corresponding communities, exist not only on traditional social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube, but on more permissive channels such as 4Chan, Gab, Reddit and Telegram, where anonymity and freedom of speech are taken to extremes. To add to this mix, fake bots and fake profiles can amplify the content, making the content appear to be more engaging. (As an aside, Google seems to have done a much better job of eliminating “black hat” techniques in search optimization, than social media platforms are doing in the free marketing space.)

And it all goes viral more easily

There is also another interesting aspect of digital marketing at play: viral marketing. When you create a piece of content that is shocking, absurd, or humorous, it has a greater chance of going viral (read Jonah Berger for more insights into what pre-conditions are necessary to improve the likelihood of content going viral).

Untruths are more likely to be shocking, thus untruths (disinformation) will have an exaggerated share of voice in the digital landscape. When untruths support a point of view, or a set of values of an individual, you have a cocktail ready to stoke the engine of viral growth, and willing nodes ready to share those untruths (even if unwittingly, in many cases).

This sharing and engagement of fake news is exacerbated by the business models of social media platforms that focus on advertising, which means clicks. Clicks that are optimized by the hungry, and ever improving, algorithms.

And we want to belong

As human beings, we want to belong. We want to belong to groups that share our beliefs, our values, our passions. These communities can be offline, and they can be online, too. The groups we join are groups about which we can become passionate. They have a group identity, and we seek to support that, as they support, and reinforce our existing beliefs.

For some, social identity can become a source of strength and superiority, and outsiders to the group can be seen to be blamed for their problems. It’s this type of groupthink that leads to confirmation bias and echo chambers; we start to only see content and posts from those who share our beliefs, whether it’s within a specific online group, or on our own Facebook feed.

The content we see is augmented and reinforced by related conspiracy theories that are not grounded in truth, but support the ideals of our shared beliefs. Group members believe in the disinformation, because they want to believe, and have the motivations to believe in the information. They are also incentivized to share the information; it provides them social currency within their group, and the immediate reward of likes and comments increases the incentives to spread falsehoods.

The internet has certainly exacerbated this phenomenon, and as long as there are leaders willing to share and spread disinformation that support a group identity, these groups will grow more entrenched in their beliefs.

So can brands fake it, too?

So how does fake news and disinformation impact the digital marketing of brands? Do brands really need to extol the truth in their brand messaging, or can brands, too, fake it?

If a brand’s community relies on a false narrative, trust between the community members and the brand will inevitably erode. A false narrative that supports an individual’s beliefs, and membership of their group, won’t have that same effect. It’s designed to further cement that relationship.

These two types of communities are different. The former is centered around the profit motive of the brand, a key part of the exchange. The latter provides the individual a sense of belonging to a group of like-minded individuals. The former is a fragile relationship, forever being contested by free marketing economics. The latter doesn’t have the same level of competition for beliefs and values.

Communities that focus on shared beliefs, values and passions do not have this singular focus on one actor in the exchange relationship; they are more egalitarian in form, and thus the shared values of the communities support the entire community values, rather than overly benefit one actor within the community.

As consumers, we are therefore generally more passionate about our values, beliefs and ideology, than we are about the brands that we admire. Thus we have more incentive to spread messaging that focuses on those beliefs, values and passions.

Contrarily, brands need to stick to the truth of the brand experience they provide to maintain and strengthen their communities; if they don’t, the blow back on social media (and review sites) will be harsh; review IKEA’s social media channels for examples, customer complaints litter the comments of even the most beautiful posts.

Brands can focus some of their content marketing on the values of their customers, values that support their customers’ beliefs, if they want to seek out a cohort of customers who may be willing to share that content. However, critical to this strategy is that the values shared must be core to the brand’s DNA, the brand’s truth. Nike is an example of a brand that does this well; it can engage in the BLM conversations, for example, because it has a history with this movement, not least, with Colin Kaepernick.

For politics and social issues, we need to figure out how to better incentivize truth; unlike brands, they don’t have customers demanding their truth.

Missionville Update: 359 sold, 39 reviews

After twelve weeks since publication, I wanted to provide a quick update on how Missionville is doing.

All sales are through Amazon, whether it’s for the paperback or kindle version.

In total, 359 copies of Missionville have been sold, three quarters of those sales are for the paperback.

The majority of sales have come through amazon.com (the US market), but a few have come from .co.uk (where I now live) and .ca (Canada, where I worked at Woodbine for two years).

So far, the book has received thirty-seven 5 star reviews and two 4 star review. Thirty of these reviews are on the .com site, five are on the .co.uk site, and four are on the .ca site.

A reminder to anyone who has purchased the book, e-mail me your mailing address to alexbr4cornwall@gmail.com, I’ll send you a book postcard, personalized and signed.

For a glance at the book, here is an excerpt: Missionville, Chapter 4

Missionville Update: 268 sold, 34 reviews

After ten weeks since publication, I wanted to provide a quick update on how Missionville is doing.

All sales are through Amazon, whether it’s for the paperback or kindle version.

In total, 268 copies of Missionville have been sold, three quarters of those sales are for the paperback.

The majority of sales have come through amazon.com (the US market), but a few have come from .co.uk (where I now live) and .ca (Canada, where I worked at Woodbine for two years).

So far, the book has received thirty-three 5 star reviews and one 4 star review. Twenty-seven of these reviews are on the .com site, four are on the .co.uk site, and three are on the .ca site.

A reminder to anyone who has purchased the book, e-mail me your mailing address to alexbr4cornwall@gmail.com, I’ll send you a book postcard, personalized and signed.

For a glance at the book, here is an excerpt: Missionville, Chapter 4

Missionville Update: 236 sold, 27 Amazon Reviews

After two months since publication, I wanted to provide a quick update on how Missionville is doing.

All sales are through Amazon, whether it’s for the paperback or kindle version.

In total, 236 copies of Missionville have been sold, three quarters of those sales are for the paperback.

The majority of sales have come through amazon.com (the US market), but a few have come from .co.uk (where I now live) and .ca (Canada, where I worked at Woodbine for two years).

So far, the book has received twenty-six 5 star reviews and one 4 star review. Twenty of these reviews are on the .com site, four are on the .co.uk site, and three are on the .ca site.

A reminder to anyone who has purchased the book, e-mail me your mailing address to alexbr4cornwall@gmail.com, I’ll send you a book postcard, personalized and signed.

For a glance at the book, here is an excerpt: Missionville, Chapter 4

Missionville: Amazon Reviews

The following are the reviews for Missionville on Amazon. All reviews are 5 star, unless otherwise noted.
In total, there are 66 reviews.

Amazon.com Reviews 55

A Book I Didn’t Want to Put Down! RJ818
I was lucky enough to get a chance to read this book early, and it was fantastic! It gives you a different view into life at a race track, the good and the bad. It’s hard not to get attached to the characters and cheer for them to find the right paths. I cannot wait to read it again once my official copy comes tomorrow. Whether you are a fan of horse racing or not, this book is worth reading. I highly recommend it to everyone!

Magnificent Horse Racing Literary Ride Kristen Halverson
Magnificent Horse Racing Read! This is a thrilling equine literary ride! You will want to read over and over! I could not put it down.
Brown illustrates a clear view into the backside culture of the racing life through his extraordinary and descriptive narrative! You feel like you know the characters by the end of the book. I really enjoyed how Brown created a wonderful protagonist in this story. It teaches us all that we should always strive to do the right thing!
Fabulous work, Mr. Brown!

It’s not always the pretty pictures the casual fan sees on television of gleaming … Peggi Loveless
In Missionville, author Alex Brown brings an authentic voice to the backside of horse racing. Fans of Dick Francis will appreciate his attention to detail that adds so much to the story of a low-level racetrack and the good/evil stories that play out there on a daily basis. It’s not always the pretty pictures the casual fan sees on television of gleaming horses and flowers and nicely-dressed owners. Alex acknowledges that world but pays homage to the struggles of the little guys in the game that we seldom see. I’m a racing fan and I was captivated by his portrayals of the people and horses. A must read for all fans and those who only know the big names.

Got more out of this book than I expected. Robert C Taylor
As a lifelong fan of horse racing, I started ‘Missionville’ thinking I had a solid understanding of the sport. But after finishing this book I am walking away with a new perspective. When you watch a race from the grandstand, or on TV, you are only seeing what they want you to see. Apparently there is so much more behind the scenes. I understand that this is a work of fiction, but the author incorporates so many unfortunate realities that you end up with a bit of an informal education on the racing industry.

Easy to read, but weighty material. And I enjoyed the characters enough to be interested in a sequel.

a novel that shines a light on the sad realities of American horse racing
A novel about the lowest sort of American racetrack. The kind that feels like a third world country behind the scenes, with cheating as the standard of care, or as the author puts it,a place where “no one wants to care.” This is because the kinds of races and the quality of horses are such that the horsemen are barely surviving.The love of the routine training horses comes through in this novel about a trainer and a horse rescuer who team up to expose the ugly truth about Thoroughbreds going to horse slaughter.

This was a tough read for someone who has seen these realities in the sport. But whether you bet on horses (‘the sport of kings”) or like to play the games at the adjoining casinos (racinos) you should pick up this book to get a sense of the problems the industry faces.
The author is a real horsemen who bases this novel on his own research and experience. At times the events in the book too closely mirror reality or sound familiar to someone who has read the stories about broken down racehorses ending up in a slaughter auction or trainers and veterinarians caught administering performance enhancing drugs on raceday.

It should be required reading for anyone who attends races and supports horse racing.

Interesting read!! Job well done! John Myers
I really liked this book. It’s hard-hitting, controversial, and makes one think. Though it takes place at a fictional racetrack in PA, it could very well be any racetrack and is based on some unpleasant facts about the industry. Keep ’em coming, Alex Brown

One of the best books I have read about horse racing tlyn
If you only know the racetrack as the Kentucky Derby this is a must read. For horse people this is a book that takes you where you would rather not go. This is a book written as fiction, however, I had to keep reminding myself of that. The characters are so real that you immediately get caught up in their lives. I cannot recommend this book enough. The author is well know for his advocacy of horse welfare and Alex Browns’ many years working at the backside has come thru on paper in this so very real world of Missionville. Thanks for sharing the good and bad of horse racing. Waiting for the next book!!!

you don’t have to be a horse expert to enjoy the book
This book reminded me of some of the Dick Francis books that used to keep me reading chapter after chapter, unable to put them down even though I had a million other things I needed to be doing. During the first few chapters of Missionville, a strong foundation is laid for the rest of the book, with the pace accelerating as you read further and further into the book. Soon, you find yourself reading “just one more chapter” before stopping for the night. The book is focused on horse racing, and the author is obviously very knowledgeable about the topic. However, you don’t have to be a horse expert to enjoy the book, and the authors clear writing style makes it a fun read even if you aren’t in the industry.

Enjoyed the ride!!
In his first novel, Mr. Brown uses his extensive experience in horse racing to bring the fictional racetrack of Missionville to life. His vivid and detailed descriptions of the various aspects of racetrack life, both good and bad, makes the story compelling and interesting. It’s fast paced and the structure of the book made me anxious to continue to the next chapter to find out what happened next!
The book does not shy away from the “dark side” of horse racing and the terrible fate that awaits some horses at the end of their racing days, however, Mr. Brown’s passion for the safety and welfare of the horses is clearly evident throughout. Hopefully readers will be inspired to do what they can to support efforts to improve the sport of horse racing and ensure the safety of the equine athletes.
All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable and informative read!

Fun read with a serious side Lisa Leach
Great read. Loved the description of the backside world, and the character development as his male lead comes to see and have to deal with racing’s “dirty little secret.” Great attention to detail, and an appreciation of good horsemen and the everyday guys in the sport who give their best. You can feel Alex’s love of horses and the sport and his desire, through his characters, to make it a better place for the racehorse.

both the good and the bad side of horse racing Jeanne Coleman
This book shows all, both the good and the bad side of horse racing, I was aware of some but the knowledge the the writer shares with you is unpleasant at times but what everyone should know about the backside of the tracks. I know it is controversial but this book really makes you think about what “people” get away with and the welfare of these amazing, trusting horses. Well written and fast moving you just can’t put it down. Thanks for sharing your knowledge of the industry.

Dont wait to order this one! fantastic Tanya Brinegar
What an awesome story! I absolutely loved this book(couldnt put it down) until i found out what happened!!! it is defineatly a story for everyone not just horsemen. I promise you ll like it!!! a must get!

It was a great read for me Nick Spagnola
It was a great read for me !! I’m not much into reading books, but I found myself not being able to put this one down . Would highly recommend it !
A+

A great read – engaging and truthful! EKT
I met Alex several years ago when he spoke at the funeral of a dear mutual friend. His eloquence struck me then, and I was happy to make his acquaintance. I heard great things about this book and was not disappointed. He portrays the good and bad sides of the racing industry at this level with honesty and a genuine understanding. The book manages to point out many of the issues that face horse racing and the horse industry as a whole with no sugarcoating of the big picture problems, while leaving the door open for hope and giving credit to the real life individuals and organizations who work tirelessly to improve both aftercare for our athletes and a standard of living for the people involved at the ground level caring for them. This is a great book for both industry insiders and people who just like horses or racing. It is factually accurate and realistic unlike many books with a “horse world” background whose authors last saw a horse at a childhood pony ride! The characters are engaging and well developed. Give it a try!!

Excellent book! Anna V Rolland
Very enjoyable read. This book tackles the difficult and cruel world of horse racing very well, and writes a great story of love and despair. Great progression and character development. I’m glad the story had a happy ending!

Alex Brown’s writing style is engaging J Patton
Trying to decide whether Missionville would be a good read or not? Read it. Written like a diary it integrates the complexities of horse racing. The story centers around the relationships between on and off track characters who lead us through the up and downside of horse and track management.
Alex Brown’s writing style is engaging telling the good and ugly story of a fictional Pennsylvania track.

Best Horse Racing Book Since “Seabiscuit” Stretch Reilly
“Missionville” is the best horse racing book since “Seabiscuit.” Brown, like Hillenbrand, understands the value of telling a horse story in such an authentic way that actual horse people will enjoy. It moves at a good pace and the characters feel real.

Excellent story of what it’s really like behind the scenes …
Excellent story of what it’s really like behind the scenes of horse racing. Well written and a compelling read. It gives a clear picture of a sport based on greed and winning at all costs. Heartbreaking and shameful that these beautiful horses are transported and slaughtered inhumanely on a regular basis.

A very good read. 4 stars. Alex Baldwin
Well researched, well written. A very good read.

Hidden Heart in Horse Racing. Kristen B.
For someone that enjoys horse racing but also has a huge heart for rescue this book was the perfect combination of everything sad and happy with horse racing.. From the first chapter I was drawn in with the sad reality of horse racing and wanted more. I don’t think I have felt more reality through a book and the horse racing industry then with Missionville.. A book with a huge heart, a great and powerful read!! Our horses in racing deserve more!!!

Loved the book and the first person narratives Theresa Ford
Written by someone who knows his subject and is passionate about racing, aftercare and slaughter!
There is a balance between good and evil in this book – showing that there are many good caring people in racing and those that see horses and people as commodities to be used for their own greedy purposes and then discarded.
The background story about 2 rising super- horses is very cool as are the references to Fair Hill, Elkton and Barbaro!
Bravo Alex!

Missionville Caroline
Not just another horse story! Alex Brown has successfully parlayed his extensive horse racing knowledge into a fast paced, impressive first novel. A well crafted tale of racetrack life, with the right blend of passion, treachery, and intrigue, makes Missionville a real page turner.

This is a well developed story that highlights both the good and bad in horse racing Amazon Customer
In Missionville, Alex Brown has given the reader an authentic view of life on the backside of a North American racetrack. This is a well developed story that highlights both the good and bad in horse racing, and shows that even the most well intentioned among us can easily stick our heads in the sand and not face up to the reality of what happens to so many horses after racing. Missionville shines a light on the side of racing that no one wants to acknowledge, while offering hope that things can change and the outcome for horses can be better. Brown has delivered his message in a fast paced story with well rounded characters and a suspenseful plot. I was eager to get to the end to see how it all turned out. Fans of Dick and Felix Francis will especially appreciate the attention to detail and the accurate depiction of a life working with horses. A perfect Christmas gift for all the fans of horses and racing on your list!

the good guys and girls that strive to succeed in a … David Rollinson
A story of success, failure and struggle set in the modern racing world, a world unknown to Dick Francis and most outsider’s. Missionville is very much about to day, the real world, the trials and tribulations of the little guys, the good guys and girls that strive to succeed in a complex environment while putting the horse first. An incite into the camaraderie that exists in the barn area at most race tracks. A great read for the aficionado and lay person alike coupled with a reality check. Hard to put down.

Fiction, but realistic Andrew Durnin
I was immediately interested in the story and understand racetrack life, so it was a very easy read for me although books are rare for me.
But some of the topics were not easy to read at all and as I’ve been lucky to be involved in the upper level of the sport, this made me think a lot more.

I would strongly recommend this book to anti horseracing people so that they … Amazon Customer
This was a very evenhanded treatment of a very misunderstood sport. It was with some tredidation that I ordered it, after reading The Lord of Misrule a few years back. That book was just too ” in your face” about what can happen when greed and corruption eclipse human and animal welfare. Missiinville neatly touches on those topics without the emotional gore. I would strongly recommend this book to anti horseracing people so that they may see the larger picture and forces at work on the backside. I really liked how the author put the spotlight on how the racing community has been very aggressive in rehabbing and rehoming its retired horses..because unbeknownst to the general public, this breed association has been on the forefront of saving its own for a very long time!

A clear and accurate portrayal of the smaller tracks. … Seattle
A clear and accurate portrayal of the smaller tracks. I was an owner, but the description of the backside is scary accurate.

several survivors of said sport reside behind our home and bring us great joy just being horses and friends R. T. Fitch
Missionville ~ A Mission I was reluctant to accept…

Missionville was an extremely difficult, initial read for me. Knowing all too well the underbelly of horse racing and seeing my own fair share of backside tracks and auctions I was not motivated to delve into this story of a ‘sport’ I have little taste for; several survivors of said sport reside behind our home and bring us great joy just being horses and friends.

But with a twist of the tale and turn of the word Alex Brown brings life, love and humanity to his story as he artfully supplies the reader with a most important compelling vision that we rarely see, and that shared gift is one of hope.

A true must read for those who have both saved horses from the kill pen and those who love to experience the vision of those great Thoroughbreds thundering down the track to yet another victory. Missionville truly has a soul.

Not a Dick Francis pot-boiler, but an engaging first novel that makes some serious points 4 stars Mandorichard
Alex Brown has written a very educational novel. He has a story to tell about one of the ugliest side of horse racing — the horse slaughter trade. But he was smart. He didn’t just outline the facts of this situation, as he has done in over venues. He tells a story about likable people in the US racing game who, through their experiences at the track, in the sheds, at the horse auctions, and even in the slaughter industry make his points very effectively. He tells a good story, too. The main and secondary characters are interesting people — not just one-sided stock characters. There’s good and bad in a most of the characters. The plot plods a bit at times, but overall the book works as an engaging story about interesting people. And, because the story and people are good, the reader will stick with the book and, therefore, learn about the things Alex and other concerned horsemen and horsewomen have seen in the underbelly of the American racing scene. An above average first novel that communicates its author’s ideas in an engaging fashion.

Good read, entertaining, educational story Wooley1
At first I wasn’t crazy about reading a book about the dark side of horse racing. I was afraid it would keep me up at night with ugly thoughts. I did give it a go and I don’t regret it. The author put together a story that educates as well as entertains the reader. The low end of racing is not glamorous like the Kentucky Derby but it does have its attractions to the people involved in it. This is shown by the author in his created characters. I like that the characters are believable which gives a sense of reality for this piece of fiction. Nobody is a good guy nor are they a bad guy. It’s just people making daily decisions based on their life circumstances.

It’s easy reading, a good story line and I will encourage many of my friends to read it to get a better understanding of racing when it’s not a triple crown race.

the way he let the reader learn about the sad situation facing a lot of race horses kept me … Annie Weeden
Alex’s book is a “page turner”. I looked forward to reading it each evening, The short chapters, the concise writing , the knowledge of the race track told in laymens terms , the way he let the reader learn about the sad situation facing a lot of race horses kept me reading. There is a romance mixed in that sparked curiosity to see how it would unfold, too.

A great read on its own Stacey Howlett
A great read on its own, but especially for those of us who love horses, horse racing, love and loss. A very enjoyable read.

Excellent read! I felt transported back to the Mid-Atlantic … CLW
Excellent read! I felt transported back to the Mid-Atlantic region where it was easy to become infatuated with Thoroughbred horses and the sport of racing. A very informative, simultaneously positive and dark journey into the world of horse racing from the perspective of those who are closest to it. Throughout the book, I am reminded of the things I like most about racing, specifically the horses, the thrill of cheering on your favorite, the beautiful farms and training centers I’ve had the pleasure of visiting, and the people I’ve met along the way who truly do right by their horses and are good to others both within and outside of their industry. Missionville also helps the reader appreciate and better understand the challenges the racing industry faces and the hardships experienced by trainers and backstretch workers all through a realistic lense.

The welfare of the horse must come first! Deborah Spector
I couldn’t put down ‘Missionville’. Author Alex Brown’s creative writing treatment of Thoroughbred racing couples the dark side of the racing industry with hope and improvements born through the awakening intervention of the book’s main characters. Missionville resonated with my personal experiences – good and bad, from the backstretch vets, trainers, and exercise riders I encounter in the world of hunter/jumpers. Brown reminds me that the welfare of the horse must come first. If you love horses you must have empathy, not only for your own, but all horses.

I read a lot and there’s not many books I … Susan Kenny
I read a lot and there’s not many books I don’t want to put down and can’t wait to pick up again. Alex put the points of the seedy side of horse racing across without putting the reader off with gory details and situations that make you dwell too much. The realism was there but was mentioned and moved on. It bluntly makes the point of how a lot of trainers have their hands tied in various situations, either with the race course itself or owners who treat their ownership of these horses as commodities rather than living, feeling beings.
Bravo Alex and can’t wait until your next one!

Awesome Book of the Realities of Thoroughbred Horse Racing Kathryn Defranc
Loved this story, a great mystery with well described characters that is a very real look at the backside of a racetrack. This is where all those involved in the daily care of the racehorses work, love and sleep. Obviously this author knows the track and I am delighted to read a great story about horseracing that reads the truth, you feel as if you are there.
Wonderful book for anyone who loves horses and mystery!

Alex Brown gives a great education on horseracing in America.
I have been looking forward to reading Alex Brown’s new book, and Missionville didn’t disappoint.
After Barbaro’s death I became aware of racing’s “dirty little secret”. Mr. Brown shows the up and down side of horse racing in America from personal experience. His characters draw the reader in and keep your attention throughout the story. Most of us only know the “sport of kings” from prime time broadcast. Alex shows us behind the scenes: the backside, the comradery and the hardships of everyday track people and the promise of better life on and off the track for these beautiful thoroughbreds.
As soon as I finished the book I was ready to read it again, which I am!

Missionville offers intrigue, danger and romance. Deborah Barnes
I love to read and my favorite books have a little intrigue, a little danger and a little romance. Missionville has all three! It flows well so it’s an easy read, I finished it in 24 hours. I’m from PA and have been to race tracks and auctions and involved in horse rescue so the subject hits close to home. Alex knows his subject intimately and offers us a glimpse into the dark side of racing and people. But he also offers us the saving grace of people who love horses and are willing to do the right thing at any cost. I highly recommend this book.

Five Stars Lynn Sullivan
I found Missionville to be realistic and entertaining..Thank you Alex Brown for the read!

A worthy read that entertains and educates about the racing world! emcallister
I have been following Alex Brown since his blog about Bárbaro. He wrote a wonderful book on Barbaro and that adventure. Now he has written this story in order to share his experience, post Barbaro, of trying to get horse slaughter banned here in the United States! With this educational and exciting story, Alex shows us all sides of the racing world, and shows how through it all there is good in the bad and bad in the good. The characters are interesting and real. The horses and their individual stories add even more depth to the story. To Alex these horses are more than just horses they are each individuals and he shows their importance as much as the human characters. This is what really drew me in, I wanted to see how the horses ended up. I loved the ending. It was real but it left room for hope that a racing world can be created where the animals are valued as true partners and cared for in the best way possible! Read it for pure enjoyment because it’s interesting and perhaps you will be moved to change things too!

Educate and motivate. Eleanor Moore
Alex Brown has written with care about the unsavory side of the horse racing industry that most in racing would prefer stay in the dark, and those on the outside may have no knowledge of; the slaughter of thoroughbreds for human consumption. Many thoroughbreds at racetracks in the United States are administered a variety of drugs that are prohibited for use in horses intended for human consumption thereby making this practice illegal.

His novel, the culmination of many years in the industry, affords an accurate picture of life on the racetrack. He creates believable characters that are easy to visualize, understand and even sympathize with. Ultimately the story is an uplifting tale of what can be achieved by those that love and have the courage to do what is right.

I highly recommend “Missionville” and hope, that as a result of being enlightened, readers will continue to educate themselves and be encouraged to do what is right for the thoroughbred.

Horse racing story written from the inside.
I have been in the race horse business for many years. It is rare to read a book about the business that is written by someone who really knows the ins and outs. I was astounded bu the accuracy and attention to detail. I am not usually a novel reader, but I finished this book in two days, as I couldn’t put it down. The writing style is elegant, with vivid descriptions and wonderful characters. The plots and subplots kept me wondering where we were going. There were great descriptions of the people who spend their lives and times, for little compensation, caring for the wonderful animals. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in horses, or just good writing.

There are good characters, bad characters Lauren G
As an avid horse racing fan and someone who runs a web based effort to help racehorses find new homes, Brown lays out a fair portrayal of life on the backside of a racetrack. There are good characters, bad characters, and well meaning characters. Brown has also done a lot of research to understand the mechanics and market structure of the horse slaughter trade and this comes through in the book and was informative to this reader. This book is a relevant point of view digestible through an entertaining story and I would highly recommend this book to any horse racing enthusiast.

Grab a Copy! Paige
I started Missionville and couldn’t put it down! It grabs your attention and keeps you drawn in from start to finish. I had worked on the backside of a racetrack half of my life and had left a couple of years ago. It was refreshing to read this book. Alex really captures the essence of racetrack life. I love the Barbaro references, as well. Missionville is a great read for racetrackers and non-racetrackers alike.

A Wild Ride G.C. Picchetti
Last year I gave away almost all my books and book cases to make my apartment more spacious. One of the few books that simply could not go is Greatness and Goodness: Barbaro and his legacy. I can’t part with it. Alex did so much research to tell the story. I love Barbaro so much I make donations to the New Bolton Center at Penn Vet.
So when Alex wrote Missionville, of course, I had to read it. The characters are wonderful. The nice people are just like our nicest horse friends we know. The mean people are really mean. I really love Thunder Clouds, Pink Slippers,Spicy Lemon, and Hairy the dog too!
At the end of the book Alex wrote two excellent sections called Resources and Racing Terminology. Alex always pays so much attention to detail. I never would have thought about including those things for people who have never been to a race track.
Will I keep this book along with the Barbaro book? No. My cousin Catherine passed away last year. She and her husband met at Arlington Race Track where they worked all their lives. I will send the book to her husband Joe. It’s up to us horse and animal lovers to stay together.

Five Stars Karen Bastin
Wonderful book!

Definitely worth reading NSW
Alex Brown is passionate about horses and their welfare. In the best way ever, he has addressed horse racing’s dirty little secret with a fictional behind the scenes novel on what is happening at many racetracks around the US. And he shows us what can be done. An engaging story, it is well worth the read!

Exposure into the real world of racing Alexa B
Missionville is a very well written book by a horseman that clearly knows what he’s talking about. So many people completely ignore the backsides of horse racing, and what truly goes on behind the scenes because they don’t want to believe its true or face the reality of these horse’s fates. Alex includes experiences in the novel that can only come from real-life exposure, confirming that what goes on is an evil reality. I believe that Missionville should be a required novel for anyone who believes in and supports the racing industry. What I liked most about the book was that Alex didn’t just include facts and list statistics, he turned it into a story that involves everyone who plays a role in the racing industry, the good and the bad, the minor and the major. As Alex says, “This is a work of fiction. The truth would be unbelievable.”

Very Good Read Lynda
I really enjoyed this book. It was realistic and had solid characters. I could envision these things really happening. I think anyone who likes racing would appreciate this book.

Entertaining view of a dark side of horse racing
Another gem from Alex Brown. Alex does a great job of presenting an entertaining view of a dark side of horse racing. He introduces you to the challenges that people “on the back side” face everyday and the decisions they confront to make ends meet. (This book is a primer if you are following the travesties of thoroughbreds being found in kill lots after racing recently at Delta Downs)

Four Stars Elizabeth T
Intriguing plot and good characters set in a well defined and described backside. Liked it a lot!!

“Missionville” is the next best thing to being on the backside at Santa Anita Edie Dickenson

“Missionville” is the next best thing to being on the backside at Santa Anita. This novel takes place at a fallen-on-hard times track in Pennsylvania. The author knows his stuff as he has been involved with horses for years. Most importantly, he makes the reader care about his characters, both human and horse and even his dog Hairy. This was one book that I did not want to end!

Excellent Read by Knowledgeable Author Nancy Forsyth

This captivating work of fiction is packed with all the facts and knowledge that the author, Alex Brown, successfully includes into an informative and page turning novel.
As an avid race fan/horsewoman/owner, the darker side of the racing business is displayed in a story that captivates from page one.
The author has many years of experience in this field, and alludes to occurrences/names that even the general public will find familiar.
It is a flowing novel that can’t be put down for those looking for a good read.
This publication was one of five Semi-Finalists Announced For 2017 Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award.The Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award is named for the man who launched it in 2006. Dr. Ryan was a globally-known businessman, sportsman, and philanthropist who loved horse racing and fine literature.
This work of fiction is impossible to put down. It has it all…… romance, intrigue, facts, and mystery highlighting human nature at it’s best….and worst.

Five Stars Julie
Yet another great read from Alex Brown.

DID NOT DISAPPOINT! Anne Landers
Incredibly written book about the backside of the racetrack. The narrative shows the struggles of trainers who honestly do right by the horse and leads the reader through an informative timeline of a horses’ career, from when it starts for it’s first time to the rehoming, auction or slaughter pipeline. The front side procedures are also addressed from track management, administration and the role of stewards and the racing commission. Excellent read and spot on honest information written with true to life characters. Did not disappoint!

Amazon.co.uk Reviews 9

I finished wishing there was more – always the sign of a great book. I also finished more informed and admiring … Clare Shearman
Whilst not a horsey person, I had read Brown’s other book Barbaro. This is a completely different book but masterful at shedding light on the dark side of the horsing industry. Thankfully there was a glossary of terms for the uninitiated which demystified the context of the book which then turned into a gripping read. I finished wishing there was more – always the sign of a great book. I also finished more informed and admiring of those who take a stand against bad practices within the industry. Thanks

Compelling read Ann Benney
A very enjoyable and compelling read. It brought the world of the American racetrack to life with the camaraderie between the story’s dedicated characters. The writing style was cleverly effective to keep the story moving and not bog it down with unnecessary detail. An accessible, absorbing and friendly book. Bring on the next one!

A very interesting insight into horse racing in America and … cook
A very interesting insight into horse racing in America and the lives of those who work with the horses. Well done.

Interesting, shocking and engrossing! Kate Hughes
At first I thought I was going to struggle to get my head around the racing terminology (wish I’d realised there was a cheat sheet at the back!) but before too long I knew enough to start enjoying the flow of the story. The repeated and regular routines of the main characters create vivid images of their lives and you want the good guys to win through! Highly recommended and I hope there’ll be a sequel because I feel like there’s more to tell.

A great read Clare Davison
Not as raunchy as Jilly Cooper or scary as Dick Francis but more real! A great read

Enjoyed every page! T Irving
Great book, interesting subject, lovely character development and this is from someone who knows nothing about the industry. Would definitely recommend to friends.

A great read. Thoroughly deserves 5 stars Springs
What am amazing book. You don’t have an understanding of horse racing or be a fan of the sport to get hooked onto this book. Its a real page turner and the reader finds themselves rooting for the good guys.
It also gave an insight into American horse racing which is very different from the British side.
Brilliant book highly recommend and next one please Mr Brown.

Great read. Sharon A.
Read this book while on holiday. Just loved it really well written and told a story many people won’t be aware of. Couldn’t put it down.

Superb Insight into racing with great characters E K H Tragett

A brilliant book, a great plot which gets you hooked fast, very knowledgeable of the racing industry. Highly recommend this as a great read

Amazon CA Reviews 4

Exquisite Nadezda Dohnalova
It’s not just the trilling story most horse people will relate to. This book is like no other for its knowledge and details of racing in North America, running racetracks alone, and life of backstretch people. Should be translated to other languages.

A good balance between the good and evil on the racetrack … Wendy Cooper
Well written. A good balance between the good and evil on the racetrack both on the backside and front-side. Gives a snapshot of the lives of those who live and work on the back stretch and their love of their horses. Hope there is a next one.

Loved it! Chris
Great mix of fact and fiction.

Great book. A rare and accurate look into the world … Mike Mehak
Great book. A rare and accurate look into the world of racing. The author’s first hand experience in the industry offers a unique perspective. Great fun read.

Missionville Postcard

I am excited to roll out a Missionville postcard. This postcard is designed to help me overcome the issue that I am unable to sign books in America and Canada. For those who do purchase Missionville, if you e-mail me your mailing address (to alexbr4cornwall@gmail.com) and the message you would like me to include on the postcard, I’ll send one to you.

The postcard can also serve to help promote Missionville. If you know of a good place to place a few postcards, and are willing to do it (for example a willing tack shop etc.), could you email me, and I will ship a quantity to you.

I am excited to see how the postcards are received. I think they look pretty cool!

Missionville is available on Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca, and Booktopia (au), paperback and kindle. It’s a story about greed, desperation and humanity, based at a low-level racetrack in Pennsylvania.

Missionville update: 195 sold, 20 5 star reviews

After six weeks since publication, I wanted to provide a quick update on how Missionville is doing.

All sales are through Amazon, whether it’s for the paperback or kindle version.

In total, 195 copies of Missionville have been sold, three quarters of those sales are for the paperback.

The majority of sales have come through amazon.com (the US market), but a few have come from .co.uk (where I now live) and .ca (Canada, where I worked at Woodbine for two years).

So far, the book has received twenty 5 star reviews. Thirteen of these reviews are on the .com site, four are on the .co.uk site, and three are on the .ca site.

Oddly, Amazon removed one 5 star review, for reasons I am not sure. Unfortunately I don’t know the source of the review.

I am now starting to think about tactics to try to make the most of the holiday buying season. This includes possible Facebook ads, as well as a post card campaign.

For a glance at the book, here is an excerpt: Missionville, Chapter 4