Stand out or be forgotten: differentiation is essential in marketing
Al Ries and Jack Trout reveal why business success isn’t about being the best; it’s about being different.
“Marketing is not a battle of products, it’s a battle of perceptions.”
You’ve likely been led to believe that the best product wins. The authors of The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing: Violate Them at Your Own Risk! argue otherwise: perception, not product quality, determines success.
The book, first published in 1993, remains a foundational text for marketers, business owners, and anyone looking to understand why some brands dominate while others fade into obscurity. It’s a roadmap for strategic positioning in an overcrowded marketplace.
I’ve been a fan of Al Ries’ writing for 15 years, since a friend gave me a piece of indispensable advice while I was looking to start a new company:
“Figure out the one thing you are best at and enjoy most, then go after that business,” said another friend who heads a branding agency in Denver, Colo. Before he hung up, he shared some advice that would prove to be invaluable: “Be sure to read Al Ries’ Focus. It’ll help you.”
A few weeks later, after reading Focus: The Future of Your Company Depends on It, I had a great deal of mental clarity. The book was that good.
You could say that The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing is a succinct precursor to the 1996 title.
The big deal
The insight that every reader should come away with—and one that I have a great deal of experience with—is that being first in the customer’s mind is more important than being first in the market. This is Law #1: The Law of Leadership—the idea that people don’t remember the second or third brand to enter a category. They remember the first.
Take Kleenex. It wasn’t the first tissue ever made, but it was the first to own the “facial tissue” category in customers’ minds. Today, people say “Kleenex” even when referring to a generic tissue. That’s the power of branding—winning the battle for mental real estate.
Five takeaways
Own a category or create one. If you can’t be first in an existing market, create a new niche where you are first. (Example: Red Bull wasn’t the first soft drink, but it created the “energy drink” category.)
Perception is reality. Customers buy based on what they think is true, not necessarily what is true. Shape the narrative, or someone else will.
The law of the mind beats the law of the market. If you can’t be first in a market, position yourself uniquely in the customer’s mind. (e.g., Avis successfully branded itself as the No. 2 rental car company with “We Try Harder.”)
Don’t try to be everything to everyone. Brands that expand too much dilute their positioning. Remember the disastrous Colgate Kitchen Entrees? Yuck. Focus is superpower.
Marketing is about differentiation, not imitation. If you’re copying the leader, you’re reinforcing their position, not yours. Be distinct, or be ignored.
“It’s better to be first in the mind than to be first in the marketplace.”
Read the book if…
You want to build an unforgettable brand, make smarter marketing decisions, or understand why some companies win while others fail. Ries and Trout succinct work, is ageless, and is essential reading for anyone who cares about influence and positioning.