A glimpse into the minds of the Positioning Pioneers

It’s time to go global

by Al Ries. Today, almost every company we work with wants to dominate the global market, not just the American market.

Strategy and tactics: The two drivers of marketing success.

by Al Ries. The marketing community tends to focus on the tactics, when the real opportunities lie inside the company. The product, its price...

There are two types of categories and two types of strategies.

by Al Ries. All categories are not alike. Unless you know what type of category you are dealing with, you may be making a...

A few words about Jack Trout and positioning

With the passing of my ex-partner and good friend Jack Trout, I feel compelled to write a few words about our nearly 30 years...

The medium is the message, but few are listening.

Marshall McLuhan introduced the phrase The medium is the message, in his 1964 book, “Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man.” The medium itself, according...

Five Revolutionary Changes in Marketing Since the Turn of the Century

What can we say about marketing that hasn’t been said many times before? Actually, a lot. Two developments have changed marketing forever. One is...

When history conflicts with logic, history is the loser.

Marketing managers who plan logically often make many mistakes. They should study history instead. In logic, “one plus one” equals two. That’s not true...

What’s missing in most marketing programs? Verbal imagery.

I’ve written about the superiority of visuals over verbals. And my daughter Laura Ries has written a book on the subject, Visual Hammer. But...

To launch a new company, you need two strategies.

Twenty-seven million Americans of working age (or 14 percent of the population) are starting or running new businesses. How many of these entrepreneurs are...

Polarize, Don’t Demonize: The Secret to Politics and Marketing

Plenty. Yet most political consultants think differently. Most think the best way to win an election is to bad-mouth your opponent. The advertising industry...

Forget words. When constructing a slogan, think “sounds.”

We live in a world of words. Our memos are written in words; our emails are written in words; our marketing plans are written...

Marketing Hall of Fame