Al Ries is one of my favorite authors... The first book I read during my MBA days was the 22 immutable laws of marketing... I loved marketing and I started loving it more... the simple book makes you start thinking for sure - you may agree/disagree with the author on some points/views - but who said marketing was only objective... In the time that I have spent with my fellow colleagues working on different brands - one thing I have realized is there is no universal agreement or disagreement on creative output.... there is no "one way or right way" of doing things.. There is my way or somebody else's way - and the route that clicks is the right way even though it might logically not be the best way...
I am sure i have managed to confuse all of you.. but that was exactly the point...Its marketing after all - to me it’s more art than science....say 60-40 types....
However for all those who have not read the book - here are the rules - like it or not - agree or disagree.... they make u think and once u start thinking - the book i think has succeeded at some level :)
1) The law of leadership – It is better to be first than it is to be better – marketing is the battle of perception, not products.
Example - we all remember who first flew over Atlantic or who the first man on the moon was but almost no-one knows who the second was.
Heineken was the first imported beer in USA and still is No. 1 imported beer. Same is the case for Miller Lite which was the first domestic light beer.
2) The law of the category – Promote the category. If you can’t be first in a category just create your own new category.
Example - If there's dominant player in imported beer, one can become the first to import light beer. If one can't be the first to fly over Atlantic, one can still be the first woman to fly over Atlantic.
3) The law of the mind – Modifies the law of leadership. Being first in the mind is most important when possible.
Example - Apple got off the ground with very little money. They had a simple, easy to remember name and a focused, creative ad plan.
4) The law of perception – It’s not a battle of products. Do not focus on the facts, “the truth” and the features. This is all good, but marketers need to sell the product around what people want and perceive. Your name, slogan, image, message, etc. all need to factor into this.
Example - Honda is a leading Japanese car manufacturer in US but only third in Japan (after Toyota and Nissan). If the quality of the car was the most important thing it should have the same position in all markets. In Japan, however, people perceive Honda as a manufacturer of motorcycles. Therefore what's important is that marketing should be focused on changing the perception.
5) The law of focus – Own a word in the mind of your prospect. Simpler words or concepts are the best. If you’re not first or a current leader, you need to reduce the scope of your operations and focus. Protect your word and continue to brand and focus on the law of the mind. Focus on a single, powerful word if possible.
Example - IBM owns "computer". FedEx owns "overnight". You can't take somebody else's word
6) The law of exclusivity – It’s hard for two competing companies to own the same word in the mind of the consumer.
Example Burger King tried to own word "fast" which was already owned by McDonald; and failed miserably. FedEx tried to take over "worldwide" from DHL.
7) The law of the ladder - Trying to get into the mind first is best but there are strategies to use to play off your competitors if you’re behind. Sometimes it’s better to be 3rd on a big ladder than first on a small ladder.
Example - Avis was No. 2 in car rental and when they advertised as "finest in rent-a-cars" they had losses because their marketing wasn't credible (you can't be "finest" being No. 2). That had profit when they switched to "Avis is only No. 2 in rent-a-cars. So why go with us? We try harder". Then they had another disastrous campaign when they started claiming "Avis is going to be No. 1".
8) The law of duality – In the long run, every market becomes a two-horse race.
Example - McDonald & Burger King. Coca-Cola & Pepsi. Nike & Reebok. Crest & Colgate.
9) The law of the opposite – Wherever the leader is strong, there is an opportunity. Turn the strength into the weakness. Don’t try to be better, be different. There are people that want to buy from the leader and there are people that absolutely don’t want to buy from the leader. Don't try to be better than the leader, try to be different.
Example - Pepsi marketed itself as a "choice for the new generation" when faced with Coca-cola's "old and established" brand.
10) The law of division – The market is an ever dividing sea of categories. Over time a category will divide and become two or more categories. Companies often don't understand that and instead think that categories are combining, believe in synergy. Leader can maintain dominance by addressing emerging categories with new brand names instead of using brand name successful in one category in a new category.
Example - Computers started as a single category but broke up into mainframes, workstations, personal computers, laptops etc.
Cars started as a single category but divided into luxury cars, sport cars, RVs, minivans etc.
11) The law of perspective – Most of time what works in the short term usually doesn’t work in the long term. It's a mistake to sacrifice long-term planning with actions to improve short-term balance sheet. Instant results might give you trouble years down the road. Focus on your core goals.
Example - Sales increase short-term profits but in long-term educates people not to buy for regular price, therefore decreasing long-term profits.
12) The law of line extension – Do not spread yourself too thin and try to be everything for everybody. Development, marketing budget, support, staff, perception, are all affected. Be strong somewhere instead of weak everywhere. Less is more. Narrow your focus.
13) The law of sacrifice –
a. Rule 1 – Minimize product line (don’t be a dept. store without focus)
b. Rule 2 – Limit your target market
c. Rule 3 – Be consistent. Have a brilliant narrow position and stick with it. DO NOT become all things to all people.
14) The law of attributes – Do not emulate the leader. Play off against the leader and offer something similar but opposite to differentiate. For every attribute, there is an opposite, effective attribute. You can own the same word as the competition. You have to find another word to own, another attribute. It doesn’t even have to be different, just a needed niche.
Example - With a name like Smucker’s it has to be good, We’re smaller and younger but more focused on you, Listerine tastes bad but something so strong has to kill a lot of germs.
15) The law of candor – Consider being honest and admit a negative but twist it into a positive.
Example - When you admit a negative, the prospect will give you a positive. Candor is disarming. It's ok to admit, as Avis did, that "Avis is only No. 2 in rent-a-cars".
16) The law of singularity – Focus on several good marketing avenues. Don’t dabble a little in everything. Trying harder does not get you to success. Make a single bold stroke that is least expected by the competition. Find out where the competitor is vulnerable.
17) The law of unpredictability – Do not assume the future. Unless you write your competitors' plans, you can't predict them. You don't know the future, you don't know what your competition will do so you have to build your company and marketing strategies to be flexible, to be able to quickly respond to changing situation.
18) The law of success – Success often leads to arrogance, and arrogance to failure. Lose your ego and be more objective. DO NOT substitute your own judgment for what the market truly wants. Do not blind yourself by success, focus. Always think like a prospect thinks and try to base that on trends and real data. Don’t try to read your prospects mind. Do not oppose your view of the world on the customer. Never lose touch with the front lines.
19) The law of failure – Do not try to fix things. Failure is to be expected and accepted. Drop things that don't work instead of trying to fix them. Don't punish for failures (if you do people will stop taking risks). Recognize a failure early and change fast. The ready, fire, aim approach – try new ideas but nobody succeeds every time. Reward new ideas and the resulting success. Do not be afraid to take risks.
20) The law of hype – When your company needs “the hype” it usually means you’re in trouble or your plan is not strong or failing. New products that are going to “revolutionize the industry” are popular candidates for hype. Real revolutions don’t come down main street with a marching band – they sneak up on your in the middle of the night.
21) The law of acceleration – Do not focus on fads. Focus on trends. Successful programs are not built on fads but on trends.
22) The law of resources – Even the best idea in the world will not go far without proper funding. Ideas without money are worthless. Without adequate funding an idea won't get off the ground. You need a lot of money to market your ideas.
The laws are not the Bible nor does the author claim so... but they give a perspective....and as for the debate - debates are good :)
Have you come across brands like Anu Coco - a beverage available down South... Plus, XXX, Power some detergent bar brands of local Origin - UP, AP and TN respectively.... These small brands or better said specific - limited geography brands today are not limited to mere distribution strength and high trade loads to drive business....
