The Sizzle Summary and Analysis

As competition for business tightens, a great deal of emphasis is placed on the "pitch" developed by investment bankers vying for a deal. The "pitch book" is actually developed by associates, under the direction of vice-presidents, and must be designed to beat the competition. Creating one is tedious punishment. Beginning with the optimistic notion that his or her pitch book will be stellar, the associate ends up "realizing that the pitch book is an unholy creation, a mixture of three-week old potted meat and smelly cottage cheese with just enough curry powder needed to cover the latent rottenness" (p. 110). The four main sections attempt, first, to glorify the company whose business the banker wants, and second, to give the client an overview of the health of the specific market related to the current deal pitch - equity, bonds, merger...