World Leaders in Positioning for Over 50 Years
Positioning Pioneers
A timeline of RIES
1963
Ries, Cappello, Coldwell is formed in New York City.
1966
RCC's Rational Approach to advertising.
1967
Al develops the concept of "The Rock" the original name of positioning.
1968
RCC celebrates their 5th anniversary.
1972
Advertising Age publishes the seminal 3-part series on positioning.
1972
The articles in AdAge spark a huge debate on creativity vs. positioning.
1974
Positioning takes Madison Avenue by storm.
1975
RRC adds positioning strategy projects.
1977
Al becomes a sought after speaker and industry commentator.
1981
Positioning is published by Mc-Graw Hill.
1984
The agency runs full-page NYT's ads citing the dangers of line-extension.
1986
Marketing Warfare is published.
1989
Bottom-Up Marketing is published.
1989
The ad agency is shut down and Al & Jack focus on consulting.
1991
Horse Sense is published.
1993
The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing is published.
1994
Laura joins her father and they rename as Ries & Ries.
1996
Focus is published. A narrow focus is the key to success.
1997
Al & Laura relocate to Atlanta, Georgia.
1998
The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding. An instant classic.
1999
Nothing beats working together.
2000
The 11 Immutable Laws of Internet Branding is published.
2002
The Fall of Advertising & the Rise of PR is published.
2004
The Origin of Brands is published.
2005
AdAge names positioning one of the top 75 ideas of the 20th century.
2007
RIES China is founded by Simon Chuang.
2008
Positioning gains millions of new followers in China.
2009
War in the Boardroom is published.
2009
Readers of AdAge name Positioning the best book ever on marketing.
2010
Laura becomes a sought-after marketing commentator for CNBC, Fox News, CNN.
2012
Laura writes Visual Hammer.
2015
Laura writes Battlecry.
2017
RIES China celebrates its 10th anniversary serving top clients like Great Wall Motors.
2018
Al still speaking around the world at age 92.
2019
Positioning in the 21st Century is published.
2020
Laura completes a speaking tour in Asia just before Covid hits.
2022
Positioning celebrates its 50th anniversary since the AdAge articles.
October 7, 2022
Al Ries, father of positioning passes peacefully.
2022
Laura Ries becomes RIES global, chairwoman.
2023
The RIES legacy continues.
2024
12th Anniversay of Visual Hammer