War and marketing have many similarities.
AL RIESWar and marketing have many similarities.
AL RIESBut with a laser, you can drill a hole in a diamond or wipe out cancer.
AL RIESIf you CAN’T then all the advertising, fancy packaging, sales promotion and public relations in the world won’t help you achieve your objective.
AL RIESIt’s the first company to build the mental position that has the upper hand, not the first company to make the product.
AL RIESThe 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.
AL RIESEach year we send more and receive less.
AL RIESIf you can build a powerful brand, you will have a powerful marketing program.
AL RIESIt normally takes decades to build a brand because it takes decades to penetrate the gray matter in between your ears.
AL RIESAfter a slow buildup, people become convinced that they have known about the brand forever.
AL RIESThe 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.
AL RIESPositioning is not what you do to a product.
AL RIESThe Law of the Generic: One of the fastest routes to failure is giving a brand a generic name.
AL RIESAn attribute that nobody else already owns in your category.
AL RIESIBM didn’t invent the computer; Sperry Rand did. But IBM was the first to build the computer position in the prospect’s mind.
AL RIESThat is, you position the product in the mind of the prospect.
AL RIESIt’s better to be first in the mind than to be first in the marketplace.
AL RIES