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Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind
The first book to deal with the problems of communicating to a skeptical, media-blitzed public, Positioning describes a revolutionary approach to creating a "position" in a prospective customer's mind-one that reflects a company's own strengths and weaknesses as well as those of its competitors. Writing in their trademark witty, fast-paced style, advertising gurus Ries and Trout explain how to:
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1980
About the author
Al Ries
63 books355 followersAl Ries is a marketing professional and author. He is also the co-founder and chairman of the Atlanta-based consulting firm Ries & Ries with his partner and daughter, Laura Ries. Along with Jack Trout, Ries coined the term "positioning", as related to the field of marketing, and authored Positioning: The Battle For Your Mind, an industry standard on the subject.
Ries graduated from DePauw University in 1950 with a degree in liberal arts and accepted a position with the advertising department of General Electric before founding his own advertising agency in New York City, Ries Cappiello Colwell, in 1963. The agency later changed to a marketing strategy firm, Trout & Ries.
In 1972, again cooperating with Trout, Ries co-authored a three-part series of articles declaring the arrival of the "Positioning Era" in Advertising Age magazine, promoting their concept of positioning.
In 1994, Ries founded Ries & Ries with his daughter Laura a recent graduate of Northwestern University and TBWA advertising account executive.
Ries was selected as one of the most influential people in the field of public relations in the 20th century by PR Week magazine in 1999. Ries has also written a number of books that have made the BusinessWeek best seller list on a number of occasions.
Ries graduated from DePauw University in 1950 with a degree in liberal arts and accepted a position with the advertising department of General Electric before founding his own advertising agency in New York City, Ries Cappiello Colwell, in 1963. The agency later changed to a marketing strategy firm, Trout & Ries.
In 1972, again cooperating with Trout, Ries co-authored a three-part series of articles declaring the arrival of the "Positioning Era" in Advertising Age magazine, promoting their concept of positioning.
In 1994, Ries founded Ries & Ries with his daughter Laura a recent graduate of Northwestern University and TBWA advertising account executive.
Ries was selected as one of the most influential people in the field of public relations in the 20th century by PR Week magazine in 1999. Ries has also written a number of books that have made the BusinessWeek best seller list on a number of occasions.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 549 reviews
June 4, 2011
The whole book can be boiled down to 2 key ideas:
- The brand that gets in the mind of the consumer first wins. Who makes the best soda? Coke! The best small cars? VW with its Beetle! The best round chips? Pringles! Tip: Find a narrow niche and hold it tight!
- Line extension is bad (Xerox producing computers in bad, Chevrolet making small cars is bad, even Pantene producing body foam is bad). Tip to companies: Never stray from the business where you are the leader!
I read the updated edition of the book that was originally published in the ate 70's. It is fun to read the comments of the authors like: "30 years ago we thought that Time was an awful name for the news magazine, but now we think that it is better than the generic name Newsweek." - it shows that everything is relative in the world of advertising.
- The brand that gets in the mind of the consumer first wins. Who makes the best soda? Coke! The best small cars? VW with its Beetle! The best round chips? Pringles! Tip: Find a narrow niche and hold it tight!
- Line extension is bad (Xerox producing computers in bad, Chevrolet making small cars is bad, even Pantene producing body foam is bad). Tip to companies: Never stray from the business where you are the leader!
I read the updated edition of the book that was originally published in the ate 70's. It is fun to read the comments of the authors like: "30 years ago we thought that Time was an awful name for the news magazine, but now we think that it is better than the generic name Newsweek." - it shows that everything is relative in the world of advertising.
May 19, 2022
Its old, but its a classic. I was told it's part of the curriculum for Harvard Business school. If you are creating a product or a brand, this is a MUST READ.
Biggest takeaway: you want to create a new category and dominate it. So don't be the 7th biggest social network, be the #1 book recommendation site.
People can only remember the top 3 things in any given category. It's a fun exercise actually, start to think of products and try to name as many brands as you can. Oftentimes you can only get to a few!
Biggest takeaway: you want to create a new category and dominate it. So don't be the 7th biggest social network, be the #1 book recommendation site.
People can only remember the top 3 things in any given category. It's a fun exercise actually, start to think of products and try to name as many brands as you can. Oftentimes you can only get to a few!
September 10, 2021
This book tells how to establish a position for your products and company in the minds of prospects. The authors say that the essence of positioning is to make your brand name stand for the generic (e.g., Kleenex).
I like the advice to start with the position you already have (what you’re already known for), and work to improve from there.
It’s mostly applicable to large companies with large advertising budgets, but most principles can apply to smaller businesses. It’s mostly applicable to products, not services, but most lessons can apply to services.
I read it because it was recommended by a local restaurateur. I’ve also seen it on lists of marketing books.
Below are my notes.
Pricing
“Charging high prices is not the way to get rich. Being the first to (1) establish the high price position (2) with a valid product story (3) in a category where consumers are receptive to a high-priced brand is the secret of success.”
“The place to establish the high price is in the ads, not in the store. The price (high or low) is as much a feature of the product as anything else.”
“There should be no surprises in the store. Your ads don’t have to quote exact prices, although sometimes that’s a good thing to do. What they should do, however, is to clearly position your brand in a particular price category.”
The Power of the Name
A name should begin the positioning process by telling the product’s major benefit. For example, Head & Shoulders Shampoo, or DieHard batteries. But the name shouldn’t be so close to the product itself to become generic. It should be strong, generic-like, and descriptive.
In names, stick with common descriptive words (e.g., Spray ‘n Wash) and avoid coined words (e.g., Qyx).
Prevent customer confusion by putting the product/service you’re known for in your company name. For example, change Continental Corp. to Continental Insurance.
“A name is a rubber band. It will stretch, but not beyond a certain point. Furthermore, the more you stretch a name, the weaker it becomes.”
The Free-Ride Trap
“One name can’t stand for two distinctly different products. When one goes up, the other goes down.” Use different names for different products.
The Line-Extension Trap
The more products hung on a brand name, the less meaning the name has to the average consumer.
Offering a step-down product (lower end version) hurts the prestige of the original.
Positioning Your Business
“Your company’s name ought to stand for something within your industry.”
Don’t try to position based on having better people (staff). Buyers won’t believe it.
“The solution to a positioning problem is usually found in the prospect’s mind, not in the product.”
“Find a way into the mind by hooking your product, service, or concept to what’s already there.”
“If you can start with a strongly held perception, you’ll be that much ahead in your efforts to establish your own position.”
“Start with what the prospect is already willing to give you.” Emphasize your perceived advantages. “Instead of asking what you are, you ask what position you already own in the mind of the prospect”
You find your position by studying your competition, not yourself.
Smaller businesses should position against large competitors, because the large competitors are in the minds of prospects. In ads, exploit their weaknesses.
“A positioning exercise is a search for the obvious. Those are the easiest concepts to communicate because they make the most sense to the recipient of a message. Unfortunately, obvious concepts are also the most difficult to recognize and to sell.”
“The big winners in business and in life are those people who have found open positions near the center of the spectrum. Not at the edge.” For example, “You must be slightly conservative in a field of liberals or slightly liberal in a field of conservatives.”
“Prospects don’t buy, they choose … among brands … The merit, or lack of merit, of your brand is not nearly as important as your position among the possible choices.
“Often to create a viable position, you must reposition another brand or even an entire category of product. As Tylenol did to aspirin, for example.”
I like the advice to start with the position you already have (what you’re already known for), and work to improve from there.
It’s mostly applicable to large companies with large advertising budgets, but most principles can apply to smaller businesses. It’s mostly applicable to products, not services, but most lessons can apply to services.
I read it because it was recommended by a local restaurateur. I’ve also seen it on lists of marketing books.
Below are my notes.
Pricing
“Charging high prices is not the way to get rich. Being the first to (1) establish the high price position (2) with a valid product story (3) in a category where consumers are receptive to a high-priced brand is the secret of success.”
“The place to establish the high price is in the ads, not in the store. The price (high or low) is as much a feature of the product as anything else.”
“There should be no surprises in the store. Your ads don’t have to quote exact prices, although sometimes that’s a good thing to do. What they should do, however, is to clearly position your brand in a particular price category.”
The Power of the Name
A name should begin the positioning process by telling the product’s major benefit. For example, Head & Shoulders Shampoo, or DieHard batteries. But the name shouldn’t be so close to the product itself to become generic. It should be strong, generic-like, and descriptive.
In names, stick with common descriptive words (e.g., Spray ‘n Wash) and avoid coined words (e.g., Qyx).
Prevent customer confusion by putting the product/service you’re known for in your company name. For example, change Continental Corp. to Continental Insurance.
“A name is a rubber band. It will stretch, but not beyond a certain point. Furthermore, the more you stretch a name, the weaker it becomes.”
The Free-Ride Trap
“One name can’t stand for two distinctly different products. When one goes up, the other goes down.” Use different names for different products.
The Line-Extension Trap
The more products hung on a brand name, the less meaning the name has to the average consumer.
Offering a step-down product (lower end version) hurts the prestige of the original.
Positioning Your Business
“Your company’s name ought to stand for something within your industry.”
Don’t try to position based on having better people (staff). Buyers won’t believe it.
“The solution to a positioning problem is usually found in the prospect’s mind, not in the product.”
“Find a way into the mind by hooking your product, service, or concept to what’s already there.”
“If you can start with a strongly held perception, you’ll be that much ahead in your efforts to establish your own position.”
“Start with what the prospect is already willing to give you.” Emphasize your perceived advantages. “Instead of asking what you are, you ask what position you already own in the mind of the prospect”
You find your position by studying your competition, not yourself.
Smaller businesses should position against large competitors, because the large competitors are in the minds of prospects. In ads, exploit their weaknesses.
“A positioning exercise is a search for the obvious. Those are the easiest concepts to communicate because they make the most sense to the recipient of a message. Unfortunately, obvious concepts are also the most difficult to recognize and to sell.”
“The big winners in business and in life are those people who have found open positions near the center of the spectrum. Not at the edge.” For example, “You must be slightly conservative in a field of liberals or slightly liberal in a field of conservatives.”
“Prospects don’t buy, they choose … among brands … The merit, or lack of merit, of your brand is not nearly as important as your position among the possible choices.
“Often to create a viable position, you must reposition another brand or even an entire category of product. As Tylenol did to aspirin, for example.”
April 15, 2014
This is a good book in need of an update. I read it for a grad school class and while it was interesting in parts, it was very much undergraduate level (Marketing 101) information. The biggest issue I had with it is that every example is out of date. He mentions companies that have now closed down and talks about the great things that they are doing - for example, he talks about how Newsweek is a much better magazine name than Time and will surely be more successful because of it. Since we all know that did not end up being true, it makes you wary of his advice throughout the book. There's another part where he mentions that George Bush is a handsome man and I thought "OK, sure, W isn't too bad, I guess?" and then you realize he means George Bush Senior and the whole book seems like a relic from another time. If publishers would update it with new information on social media and some more modern examples, I could see this getting new life as a must read for students.
February 3, 2008
This book feels like it was composed via cell phone text messages. Many of the paragraphs are a single sentence.
The main idea is that you cannot make in-roads in an existing market by attacking the top dog. The top dog, the market leader, will beat you every time. Instead, the authors argue that you have to position your product/company/person in the mind of the consumer, in relation to the market leader. And forcing your idealized position on the mind of the consumer won't work, so your position often starts with the existing public perception of your product/service/idea.
The example used numerous times throughout the book is Avis. Avis was not going to convince the public that they were the #1 auto rental agency--everyone knew that Hertz was #1. Hence the campaign: "Avis is only No. 2 in rent-a-cars, so why go with us? We try harder."
The authors are extremely cocksure, in sometimes amusing ways (my edition is from 1986). For example, they ridicule Arm & Hammer's attempts to sell baking soda personal hygiene products with a Phyllis Diller joke. Who is laughing now, Ries and Trout?
I read this for my marketing class, but it is an interesting book, and a quick read.
The main idea is that you cannot make in-roads in an existing market by attacking the top dog. The top dog, the market leader, will beat you every time. Instead, the authors argue that you have to position your product/company/person in the mind of the consumer, in relation to the market leader. And forcing your idealized position on the mind of the consumer won't work, so your position often starts with the existing public perception of your product/service/idea.
The example used numerous times throughout the book is Avis. Avis was not going to convince the public that they were the #1 auto rental agency--everyone knew that Hertz was #1. Hence the campaign: "Avis is only No. 2 in rent-a-cars, so why go with us? We try harder."
The authors are extremely cocksure, in sometimes amusing ways (my edition is from 1986). For example, they ridicule Arm & Hammer's attempts to sell baking soda personal hygiene products with a Phyllis Diller joke. Who is laughing now, Ries and Trout?
I read this for my marketing class, but it is an interesting book, and a quick read.
July 2, 2018
Крутейшая книга по позиционированию продукта. Очень жалею, раньше ее не прочитал.
March 14, 2020
این حجم از بصیرتهای انتزاعی در کتابی کاربردی دربارهی بازاریابی و برندینگ حقیقتاً کمسابقه و چشمگیر است. کتاب، به ویژه در چند فصل ابتدایی، مملو از ایدههای صریح و کوبنده دربارهی جایگاهیابی و بازاریابی است و نویسندگان کوچکترین تعارفی در بیان و صدور احکامی که به نظرشان میرسد ندارند.
ال ریس یک ایدهی مرکزی را با قدرت تمام در کتاب دنبال میکند و از آن کوتاه هم نمیآید. احتمالا این حد از تمرکز و سرسختی روی ایدهای که دارد همهجا جواب نمیدهد. جالب است که در بعضی موارد به اشتباهاش هم اعتراف میکند.
البته این ویژگی هرچه کتاب به پایانش نزدیکتر میشود کمرنگ میشود. دست کم به دو دلیل، یکی اینکه کتاب به دام تکرار چند بارهی خودش میافتد و سعی میکند، بعضاً با وصله پینه، ایدهاش را در صنایع و دربارهی برندهای مختلف کارآمد نشان بدهد که خب همیشه موفق نیست و دلیل دوم اینکه از عمر کتاب نزدیک به 20 سال میگذرد و این باعث شده است که فصلهای پایانی خیلی کهنه به نظر بیاید چیزی که مطلقا در هنگام مطالعهی فصلهای ابتدایی به نظر نمیرسد.
در مجموع کتاب برای همهی بازاریابها و مدیران برندینگ ضروری است و احتمالا در طرح و تثبیت ایدهی جایگاهیابی اهمیت تاریخی دارد.
ترجمهی کتاب پراشتباه، کمجان و فارسیاش بسیار ناهموار است. در بعضی موارد جز با مراجعه به متن اصلی نمیفهمید که نویسنده چه میگوید و بعضی وقتها با مراجعه به متن اصلی از کاردستی مترجم شگفتزده میشوید. کتابسازی سیته هم به اندازهی ترجمه بد و خنگ است. کاش این کتاب را آریانا چاپ میکرد.
ال ریس یک ایدهی مرکزی را با قدرت تمام در کتاب دنبال میکند و از آن کوتاه هم نمیآید. احتمالا این حد از تمرکز و سرسختی روی ایدهای که دارد همهجا جواب نمیدهد. جالب است که در بعضی موارد به اشتباهاش هم اعتراف میکند.
البته این ویژگی هرچه کتاب به پایانش نزدیکتر میشود کمرنگ میشود. دست کم به دو دلیل، یکی اینکه کتاب به دام تکرار چند بارهی خودش میافتد و سعی میکند، بعضاً با وصله پینه، ایدهاش را در صنایع و دربارهی برندهای مختلف کارآمد نشان بدهد که خب همیشه موفق نیست و دلیل دوم اینکه از عمر کتاب نزدیک به 20 سال میگذرد و این باعث شده است که فصلهای پایانی خیلی کهنه به نظر بیاید چیزی که مطلقا در هنگام مطالعهی فصلهای ابتدایی به نظر نمیرسد.
در مجموع کتاب برای همهی بازاریابها و مدیران برندینگ ضروری است و احتمالا در طرح و تثبیت ایدهی جایگاهیابی اهمیت تاریخی دارد.
ترجمهی کتاب پراشتباه، کمجان و فارسیاش بسیار ناهموار است. در بعضی موارد جز با مراجعه به متن اصلی نمیفهمید که نویسنده چه میگوید و بعضی وقتها با مراجعه به متن اصلی از کاردستی مترجم شگفتزده میشوید. کتابسازی سیته هم به اندازهی ترجمه بد و خنگ است. کاش این کتاب را آریانا چاپ میکرد.
May 9, 2013
I don't read books about marketing. Ever. It was pretty interesting though, since the trends he describes can definitely be observed in action.
However, Ries raised a lot of red flags with how certain he sounded about his assessments. He says things like, "a better name for product X? *name he just came up with*". Sometimes, he makes these statements without much supporting evidence. Anyway, it wasn't a huge part of the book, but he sounded so sure about everything, and that really off-putting for me. A certain degree of uncertainty and humility about his assessments would have been more realistic, but I realize that Al Ries is getting paid, in large part, for his conviction.
Also think this book needs an update, given how much the world has changed since this book was written. It's probably true that the same forces are at work in today's market, but a lot of his examples were lost on me.
Still, an interesting read, that gave me a completely new perspective on the value of good advertising in the marketplace.
However, Ries raised a lot of red flags with how certain he sounded about his assessments. He says things like, "a better name for product X? *name he just came up with*". Sometimes, he makes these statements without much supporting evidence. Anyway, it wasn't a huge part of the book, but he sounded so sure about everything, and that really off-putting for me. A certain degree of uncertainty and humility about his assessments would have been more realistic, but I realize that Al Ries is getting paid, in large part, for his conviction.
Also think this book needs an update, given how much the world has changed since this book was written. It's probably true that the same forces are at work in today's market, but a lot of his examples were lost on me.
Still, an interesting read, that gave me a completely new perspective on the value of good advertising in the marketplace.
February 13, 2018
It was good. Then the last chapter came in, and made it a must read 🤩🤩
September 22, 2018
One of the classics in marketing. I believe it’s a concept that should be known by every marketer.
June 2, 2019
A useful (and general) overview of the importance of positioning and how much it carries on being first in the prospect's mind. Like in any other solution-seeking process, the advice to start with what you already have (and what you're already known for), is often neglected.
June 5, 2020
Absolutelly must read! ამაზე კარგი წიგნი ჯერჯერობით არ წამიკითხავს სტრატეგიული კომუნიკაციის შესასწავლად და ზოგადად როგორ ჩამოყალიბდა თანამედროვე მარკეტინგი. მიუხედავად იმისა, რომ შეიძლება მოძველებული ქეისებით არის მოყოლილი ამბავი, მნიშვნელოვანია პოზიციონირების, როგორც მოვლენის გაჩენა ჩვენს ყოველდღიურობაში.
წიგნის ავტორების დამსახურებაა, რომ მარკეტოლოგებისთვის ახალი მნიშვნელობა შეიძინა ბრენდის ჩამოყალიბებამ და განვითარებამ. სააგენტოების გარდა, მნიშვნელოვანია in house გამოცდილება, რომელიც ზუსტი დავალების, კონკრეტული ამოცანების გამოსაყვანად შეიძლება გამოიყენოთ. ამ წესების გათავისება გეხმარება როგორც ბრენდის სწორად წაყვანაში, ასევე დავალებების კონკრეტულად გაცემასა და სწორი KPI-ების გამოყვანაში.
ოთხი ვარსკვლავი მხოლოდ და მხოლოდ იმიტომ, რომ რამდენიმე ადგილას კონკრეტული მაგალითების ახსნა ზედაპირული და ბუნდოვანია. სიღრმისეულად გაგებისთვის დამატებითი მასალების წაკითხვა მომიხდა.
To succeed in our over-communicated society, a company must create a position in the prospect's mind, a position that takes into consideration not only a company's own strengths and weaknesses but those of its competitors as well.
წიგნის ავტორების დამსახურებაა, რომ მარკეტოლოგებისთვის ახალი მნიშვნელობა შეიძინა ბრენდის ჩამოყალიბებამ და განვითარებამ. სააგენტოების გარდა, მნიშვნელოვანია in house გამოცდილება, რომელიც ზუსტი დავალების, კონკრეტული ამოცანების გამოსაყვანად შეიძლება გამოიყენოთ. ამ წესების გათავისება გეხმარება როგორც ბრენდის სწორად წაყვანაში, ასევე დავალებების კონკრეტულად გაცემასა და სწორი KPI-ების გამოყვანაში.
Advertising is entering an era where strategy is king. In the positioning era, it's not enough to invent or discover something. It may not even be necessary. You must, however, be first to get into the prospect's mind.
ოთხი ვარსკვლავი მხოლოდ და მხოლოდ იმიტომ, რომ რამდენიმე ადგილას კონკრეტული მაგალითების ახსნა ზედაპირული და ბუნდოვანია. სიღრმისეულად გაგებისთვის დამატებითი მასალების წაკითხვა მომიხდა.
May 14, 2019
If you want to choose a name for your children as the new parents or you want to be more productive and reduce fatal mistakes in your career, this book is for you. It's about the power of branding in social life. I read this book because of Seth Godin's books recommendation on marketing and I must say that Al Ries is a great person that teaching you the essence of Positioning. What a great book! I really enjoyed it. After this book, I want to read all the author's works. Now I read this book plus "The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing: Violate Them at Your Own Risk" which is also a 5-stars book too. My next one is "The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding: How to Build a Product or Service Into a World-Class Brand".
*Highly recommend for someone who wants to achieve prestige and become a high-status person.
*Highly recommend for someone who wants to achieve prestige and become a high-status person.
November 20, 2019
The opening chapters are very blowhardy: I nearly threw down the book in disgust. But when the authors finally get going they're golden (if fairly dated). Their insights on how brands convey meaning, especially how they fail to carry all the meaning companies intend them to when they create line extensions, all of that stuff is great and makes me want to re-read this in a few years (or maybe grab the audiobook) to see how the knowledge has settled. Absolutely essential reading for anybody trying to figure out what to name their product, or what to do about the next product they want to launch while keeping an existing product in market.
December 3, 2013
I read this book to help enhance the growth of my start-up ladies leisurewear brand, Broads. While this book had me engage in a lot of critical thinking about typical product placement and where I would like to see my line in five, ten, and even twenty years from now, I felt as if Positioning was a bit dated and put too much of an emphasis on companies with bold names. I was hoping to learn more about creating a solid position in a marketplace that is difficult to 'break' into.
November 16, 2017
Another 200 page business/marketing book that would have been better published as a pamphlet. There are some great ideas here though, so I can see why its held its classic status.
January 23, 2024
To understand a concept deeply, you need to know The Greats.
Frankly, this is why I reluctantly reached out to “Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind” by Al Ries and Jack Trout. After all, the book was initially published in the 1970s, and a lot has changed. But I still found “Positioning” a helpful read. Sure, it’s largely theoretical, especially if you compare it with April Dunford’s “Obviously Awesome”. But these two books are like two sides of the same coin.
If you plan to do any positioning work — or you need to understand positioning for your business — I’d definitely suggest you read “Positioning.” It’ll give you a much-needed contextualization of the very idea of positioning. And then chase it down with a more practical guide on how to actually position a product.
Check out the full book summary here: https://bit.ly/492Cjy6
Frankly, this is why I reluctantly reached out to “Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind” by Al Ries and Jack Trout. After all, the book was initially published in the 1970s, and a lot has changed. But I still found “Positioning” a helpful read. Sure, it’s largely theoretical, especially if you compare it with April Dunford’s “Obviously Awesome”. But these two books are like two sides of the same coin.
If you plan to do any positioning work — or you need to understand positioning for your business — I’d definitely suggest you read “Positioning.” It’ll give you a much-needed contextualization of the very idea of positioning. And then chase it down with a more practical guide on how to actually position a product.
Check out the full book summary here: https://bit.ly/492Cjy6
June 10, 2020
Some of the case studies were a bit antiquated, but still helpful nonetheless. Included lots of gems that resonated enough to inspire separate note-taking. Got me all the more pumped to start a new job next week, yeehaww 🤠 !
August 4, 2020
With the disclaimer that there are no golden rules that work out all the time in marketing, the authors do an incredible job in sharing their thoughts and experience on positioning, be it your product, service or a company.
July 27, 2020
TL;DR
(Background: I am an MBA Marketing student from India)
A few essential concepts in a 200+ pages book that is dated and only relevant for big companies. Almost every single example mentioned in the book is of big American companies from the 60s or 70s. As a person born and raised in India, I have to say I was not familiar with the majority of the examples. If you're the same, you might not fully understand every concept explained in the book.
I picked up this book after reading many good reviews on multiple websites (Goodreads, Amazon, Twitter, etc.). Some of which put this book into top 5 marketing books of all time. So I was very excited before starting this book. However, I started the book, and I kept waiting for the exciting part to come, but it didn't. There were some essential concepts here and there and some iconic marketing campaigns which I wasn't aware of. However, as I mentioned before, it's a dated book with examples of American products from the 60s and 70s. Even the 20th-anniversary edition with authors' comments is 20 years old. Needless to say, marketing has changed a lot since those days and many ideas mentioned in the book just don't work anymore.
This brings me to the second biggest problem that I found in the book: the lessons and ideas in the book seemed as if they are derived from a limited set of very successful or failed products. And I firmly believe that they can not be generalised to other industries, geographies and time periods. This is evident in comments made by authors in the 20th-anniversary edition, where they have admitted of being horribly wrong about multiple predictions made in 1980 about big brands. And after 20 years of that edition, many more ideas and predictions have proved to be incorrect. So overall, I would not place this book in the must-reads for Marketing considering its relevance and the fact that it only deals with a fraction of the entire marketing process.
(Background: I am an MBA Marketing student from India)
A few essential concepts in a 200+ pages book that is dated and only relevant for big companies. Almost every single example mentioned in the book is of big American companies from the 60s or 70s. As a person born and raised in India, I have to say I was not familiar with the majority of the examples. If you're the same, you might not fully understand every concept explained in the book.
I picked up this book after reading many good reviews on multiple websites (Goodreads, Amazon, Twitter, etc.). Some of which put this book into top 5 marketing books of all time. So I was very excited before starting this book. However, I started the book, and I kept waiting for the exciting part to come, but it didn't. There were some essential concepts here and there and some iconic marketing campaigns which I wasn't aware of. However, as I mentioned before, it's a dated book with examples of American products from the 60s and 70s. Even the 20th-anniversary edition with authors' comments is 20 years old. Needless to say, marketing has changed a lot since those days and many ideas mentioned in the book just don't work anymore.
This brings me to the second biggest problem that I found in the book: the lessons and ideas in the book seemed as if they are derived from a limited set of very successful or failed products. And I firmly believe that they can not be generalised to other industries, geographies and time periods. This is evident in comments made by authors in the 20th-anniversary edition, where they have admitted of being horribly wrong about multiple predictions made in 1980 about big brands. And after 20 years of that edition, many more ideas and predictions have proved to be incorrect. So overall, I would not place this book in the must-reads for Marketing considering its relevance and the fact that it only deals with a fraction of the entire marketing process.
October 24, 2014
I agree with other reviewers who commented that the book is in a need of an update - urgently.
I also didn't particularly enjoy the book because of:
1. The style of writing.
The staccato-styled writing is very distracting for me. Of course, I understand that this is a personal grouch.
2. Repetition on the importance of being first and a very good name.
What happens to those that are not first to market? While there's a section that explains how to position as a follower, I feel that the book is EXTREMELY biased such that the author thinks the importance of being first to market cannot be trumped. I agree that being first to market has its advantages, but there's really one slot for number one. So, now what happens to the rest? I don't think the author did a very good job explaining how to position as a follower. It reads more like a "Well, I'm sure someone will ask this question. Let's see if I can get done with it with a few sentences." And then the author harps about the importance of having a good name, but doesn't go into details on how to name a good name.
So I won't be highly recommending the book to anyone. If anyone disagree, I'm really open to see what kind of lessons they have learned and successfully implemented for their business. Until then, this remains a big chunk of wasted time for me.
I also didn't particularly enjoy the book because of:
1. The style of writing.
The staccato-styled writing is very distracting for me. Of course, I understand that this is a personal grouch.
2. Repetition on the importance of being first and a very good name.
What happens to those that are not first to market? While there's a section that explains how to position as a follower, I feel that the book is EXTREMELY biased such that the author thinks the importance of being first to market cannot be trumped. I agree that being first to market has its advantages, but there's really one slot for number one. So, now what happens to the rest? I don't think the author did a very good job explaining how to position as a follower. It reads more like a "Well, I'm sure someone will ask this question. Let's see if I can get done with it with a few sentences." And then the author harps about the importance of having a good name, but doesn't go into details on how to name a good name.
So I won't be highly recommending the book to anyone. If anyone disagree, I'm really open to see what kind of lessons they have learned and successfully implemented for their business. Until then, this remains a big chunk of wasted time for me.
June 4, 2018
A classic whose concepts are covered more succinctly in the authors’ follow up Immutable Laws of Marketing. There are more detailed examples here, but it suffers from even more dated company and trend references (drugs and airlines that haven’t existed since the 70s, a positioning plan for a Western Union service, and hailing cable TV as the next great frontier).
I want to applaud the concepts, which I think are timeless. But I keep getting tripped up by the ancient references.
I want to applaud the concepts, which I think are timeless. But I keep getting tripped up by the ancient references.
May 10, 2015
Эта как и другие книги Траута и Райса очень основательно проработана. Авторы молодцы и прописали в книге множество золотых правил и предупредили от всевозможных ошибок.
Хотя в некоторых моментах я лично не согласен и готов поспорить с авторами, но всё-таки в целом считаю эту книгу довольно хорошей.
Хотя в некоторых моментах я лично не согласен и готов поспорить с авторами, но всё-таки в целом считаю эту книгу довольно хорошей.
December 17, 2023
Despite being first published several decades ago, the principles outlined in "Positioning" remain pertinent in today's ever-evolving marketing landscape. The strategies discussed – such as narrowing a brand's focus, finding a unique selling proposition, and crafting memorable messages – continue to be fundamental in successful marketing campaigns.
December 30, 2018
Meh if you're a big brand and need to think long and hard about how your single product in a swath of products fits in a market then sure this is a decent book to read. For small business and solo consultants there are much more useful books out there where you'll get some actionable advice.
December 27, 2011
Mind Buggling experience as I battle with this book :)
January 24, 2019
This is, like so many books of its type, a very good pamphlet with about 170 pages of unnecessary examples.
May 27, 2022
The book is already a little outdated, but most principles still hold. Its main premise is that we live in an overcommunicated society (and, mind you, this was written in 1980), so to make an offering stand out, you should carve out a clear position that clearly differentiates from other players in your potential customers' minds. I've selected a few takeaways to share:
• First-movers have an easier time defining a segment and being associated with it. It bears remembrance.
• We have a product ladder for each type of product category (up to 7 products usually – i.e for soda I think respectively of Coke, then Pepsi, then Guaraná, then Fanta).
• Oftentimes it is better to tell the prospect what the product is not rather than what it is (makes it easier to create a place for it in their minds).
How to act when you are number 2 in a product ladder?
• Never advertise your aspirations. Never act like the main player.
• Being the number 2 is valuable: people like the underdog and you can position yourself in comparison to the #1 player.
• Alternatively, carve out a niche market inside this broader market (but caution: it really has to be a market inside prospects’ minds).
• Introduce a follower product fast when the segment’s product ladder is still fluid (even before the product is really improved).
• Positioning is how you place your offering inside the mind of a prospect.
• In an overcommunicated society, your position should be very clear and explore a specific space that others don’t. As a response to overcommunication, consumers will oversimplify messages, so we should help them do that.
• Never go head-to-head with an established leader of a category.
When you’re #1:
• It makes sense to advertise your product category (and never say “we’re #1” – you’re either insecure or why doesn’t the prospect know you’re #1?).
• If you invented the offering, say so – this will occupy a special place in the prospect’s mind.
• The product comes before the organization.
• Cover moves from new entrants fast! Usually by having a multibrand strategy.
Repositioning:
• Territorize the competitive landscape and find out what your prospects value (i.e. Russian vodka, Pringles tube, etc).
• Repositioning is different than comparative ads (not effective).
Naming:
• Almost, but not quite generic (i.e. Band-aid). We must take chances. (i.e. in dried coffee, Maxim was first, but Tasters’ Choice is way better and became the market leader)
• Beware of line extensions. (i.e. Pepsi Light, Pepsi Black, Pepsi etc etc – how does the bartender know which Pepsi you’re ordering? Or do the shopping-list test: if I order X, will the specific X for sure be delivered?).
• Avoid using acronyms – even if it derives from a very famous name, eventually younger people won’t know what it stands for and in the long-term you will fade away.
• First-movers have an easier time defining a segment and being associated with it. It bears remembrance.
• We have a product ladder for each type of product category (up to 7 products usually – i.e for soda I think respectively of Coke, then Pepsi, then Guaraná, then Fanta).
• Oftentimes it is better to tell the prospect what the product is not rather than what it is (makes it easier to create a place for it in their minds).
How to act when you are number 2 in a product ladder?
• Never advertise your aspirations. Never act like the main player.
• Being the number 2 is valuable: people like the underdog and you can position yourself in comparison to the #1 player.
• Alternatively, carve out a niche market inside this broader market (but caution: it really has to be a market inside prospects’ minds).
• Introduce a follower product fast when the segment’s product ladder is still fluid (even before the product is really improved).
• Positioning is how you place your offering inside the mind of a prospect.
• In an overcommunicated society, your position should be very clear and explore a specific space that others don’t. As a response to overcommunication, consumers will oversimplify messages, so we should help them do that.
• Never go head-to-head with an established leader of a category.
When you’re #1:
• It makes sense to advertise your product category (and never say “we’re #1” – you’re either insecure or why doesn’t the prospect know you’re #1?).
• If you invented the offering, say so – this will occupy a special place in the prospect’s mind.
• The product comes before the organization.
• Cover moves from new entrants fast! Usually by having a multibrand strategy.
Repositioning:
• Territorize the competitive landscape and find out what your prospects value (i.e. Russian vodka, Pringles tube, etc).
• Repositioning is different than comparative ads (not effective).
Naming:
• Almost, but not quite generic (i.e. Band-aid). We must take chances. (i.e. in dried coffee, Maxim was first, but Tasters’ Choice is way better and became the market leader)
• Beware of line extensions. (i.e. Pepsi Light, Pepsi Black, Pepsi etc etc – how does the bartender know which Pepsi you’re ordering? Or do the shopping-list test: if I order X, will the specific X for sure be delivered?).
• Avoid using acronyms – even if it derives from a very famous name, eventually younger people won’t know what it stands for and in the long-term you will fade away.
August 30, 2023
Have you come across a book that does what it's preaching? Positioning is one such book. It's essentially a book on advertising/marketing/branding, but it found itself a new topic to grow: Positioning. And it fared well.
This book did just that. It isn't the first book on the topic, but it found the gap in the market to put itself in.
As mentioned in the book:
(The first idea, by the way, is: You get there first and then be careful not to give anyone a reason to switch.)
One thing I have loved (and hated) about advertising books is that they're full of examples. In fact, it might seem that some books only have examples... plenty of theory, but no practical advice about their implementation.
Positioning book is different because it's pragmatic. It explains the theory (with examples, of course), but it also gives specific lessons about varied scenarios.
There is this one example I will share where the book says that "the only sure way to success is to find yourself a horse to ride." This concept is for career positioning. Not only the book explains the concept, but it also provides different ways to implement that. The first horse to ride is your company. The second is your boss. The third is a friend. The fourth; idea. The fifth; faith. And the sixth and the last horse is you; yourself.
Even though the examples were from the 1990s and earlier, I found Positioning extremely insightful. It's a must-read for startup founders, product managers and marketing/sales professionals.
This book did just that. It isn't the first book on the topic, but it found the gap in the market to put itself in.
As mentioned in the book:
"If you can't be first in a category, then set up a new category you can be first in" is the second most powerful positioning idea.
(The first idea, by the way, is: You get there first and then be careful not to give anyone a reason to switch.)
One thing I have loved (and hated) about advertising books is that they're full of examples. In fact, it might seem that some books only have examples... plenty of theory, but no practical advice about their implementation.
Positioning book is different because it's pragmatic. It explains the theory (with examples, of course), but it also gives specific lessons about varied scenarios.
There is this one example I will share where the book says that "the only sure way to success is to find yourself a horse to ride." This concept is for career positioning. Not only the book explains the concept, but it also provides different ways to implement that. The first horse to ride is your company. The second is your boss. The third is a friend. The fourth; idea. The fifth; faith. And the sixth and the last horse is you; yourself.
Even though the examples were from the 1990s and earlier, I found Positioning extremely insightful. It's a must-read for startup founders, product managers and marketing/sales professionals.
January 19, 2019
I'm not sure it's even four stars. I've really struggled through the bigger half of the book, but maybe its just me bored of reading advertising/marketing stories and preferring anything else.
For those who want a short version, there's an old interview "The mind is the ultimate battlefield" with Al Ries - it perfectly served me since the university days and gave a good enough understanding of what the big idea is.
There are certain values of the long read:
- historical overview of marketing landscape 40 years ago - there's always some charm in those stories. Oh the days when Western Union was innovating in the telegram's field or Xerox was hoping to take more than only the copy machines market. Lovely
- good mind exercise at trying to come up with current examples to prove or disapprove the points. Disapproving is, sure, more fun thing to do.
- another good exercise is rethinking what still works and makes sense - or how it can be made to work.
From the intriguing parts, there's a chapter on personal positioning. Who could tell these days that "chap, there are six horses you can ride to success - but pick a good one, because it's not the rider, but the fastest horse who wins" Beat that.
And all the worries what the huge information overload our world suffered 40 y ago. I feel them.
So ok, it's worth 4 stars.
For those who want a short version, there's an old interview "The mind is the ultimate battlefield" with Al Ries - it perfectly served me since the university days and gave a good enough understanding of what the big idea is.
There are certain values of the long read:
- historical overview of marketing landscape 40 years ago - there's always some charm in those stories. Oh the days when Western Union was innovating in the telegram's field or Xerox was hoping to take more than only the copy machines market. Lovely
- good mind exercise at trying to come up with current examples to prove or disapprove the points. Disapproving is, sure, more fun thing to do.
- another good exercise is rethinking what still works and makes sense - or how it can be made to work.
From the intriguing parts, there's a chapter on personal positioning. Who could tell these days that "chap, there are six horses you can ride to success - but pick a good one, because it's not the rider, but the fastest horse who wins" Beat that.
And all the worries what the huge information overload our world suffered 40 y ago. I feel them.
So ok, it's worth 4 stars.
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