What should a brand leader advertise?
AL RIESOnly brand names register in the mind… What you should generally do is take a regular word and use it out of context to connote the primary attribute of your brand.
More Al Ries Quotes
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The reason is obvious. A well-known name got well-known because it stood for something. It occupies a position in the prospect’s mind. A really well-known name sits on the top rung of a sharply defined ladder.
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A branding program should be designed to differentiate your cow from all the other cattle on the range.
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Positioning is what you do to the mind of the prospect.
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Successful brands get into the mind slowly. A blurb in a magazine. A mention in a newspaper. A comment from a friend. A display in a retail store.
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It is better to have 50% of one market, instead of 10% of five markets.
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The essence of positioning is sacrifice.
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You must be willing to give up something in order to establish that unique position.
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Customers want brands that are narrow in scope and distinguishable by a single word, the shorter the better.
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But with a laser, you can drill a hole in a diamond or wipe out cancer.
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THE LAW OF THE CONTRACTION: A brand becomes stronger when you narrow its focus.
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That is, you position the product in the mind of the prospect.
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It takes a mile before anything happens. And if it was a wrong turn, getting back on course takes even longer.
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The new product, if it’s going to be successful, is going to require a new name. New ladder, new name. It’s as simple as that.
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An attribute that nobody else already owns in your category.
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It creates in the mind of the prospect the perception that there is no product on the market quite like your product.
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