What does Marketing Teach

you?
 In terms of a New Product Launch or
Promoting an existing product what sort of an
approach does Marketing Teach you? How
do you successfully market a product?

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Definitions

 Immutable – (adjective) Unchanging or

unable to change.
 Law – (noun) A rule which cannot or should
not be broken.

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22 Immutable Laws of
Marketing,
Written

by Al Ries and Jack Trout
The Law of Leadership;
Its better to be First in the Market than it is to be Better.

 How Many of you Know the name of the First Person on the
Moon?

 Sometimes called: The First Mover Advantage

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 Who was the Second Person on the Moon?

 Leader becomes Generic.

 E.g.: Have you ever asked for a

Cellophane Tape?

 If you are asking for Surf you are actually

asking for: __________________?

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Law of the Category
 If you cant be first in the Market be the First in the
category.

 Are you interested in a Cellular Service or what new

is being offered by the Service?

 Paktel was the FIRST provider of Cellular

Connections, Mobilink was the FIRST to provide
GSM and Text Msg Servicing.

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Law of the Mind
 Its better to be first in the mind than to be first in the
marketplace.

 Which was the FIRST News Channel of Pakistan?

 E.g., Altair 8800 was the first PC, but Apple got first
in the mind.

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Law of Perception
 Marketing is not a battle of products it’s a battle of
perceptions.

 Reality is subject to our interpretation of Reality. Cross

Cultural Mistakes. Mistakes in interpretation.
 I just bought a Honda means?
 Is Honda better than Toyota? Is Toyota better than
Honda?
 Which would you rather have? Why?

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 New Coke Failed after 200,000 taste tests proved
it was the better Cola drink. Today the launch of
the New Coke is a Chapter in every Marketing
Book discussing the importance of perception.

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The Law of Exclusivity

 Two Companies Cannot Own The Same

Word in the Prospects Mind.

 Dawlance = _ _ _ _ _ _ _

 Pepsi = New Generation

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The Law of the Ladder
 The Strategy to use depends on which rung you
occupy on the ladder.

 E.g. Avis is 2nd – we try harder.

 Hardee’s is third or forth, and they try even harder—
and trying to find an unoccupied rung.
 To increase the size of the ladder, 7Up became the
“Uncola” from the Lemon and Lime Drink.
 Being closer to the top usually leads to risk aversion

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The Law of Duality

 In the Long Run Every Market Becomes a Two

Horse Race.

 E.g., Coke v Pepsi, Kodak v Fuji, McDonalds

and Burger King.
 Dell v HP/Compaq

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The Law of the Opposite

 If you’re shooting for second place your strategy is

determined by the leader.
 Coke is an old soft drink, so Pepsi went successfully
for the choice of a new generation.
 Pepsi = New Generation
 Thumbs Up = Not for Kids, Grow up to Thumbs up!

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The Law of Line Extension.

 There is an irresistible pressure to extend the

equity of the brand.

 In Simple Terms : Don’t Put your name on

Everything.

 E.g, Lays, Splash

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Law of Attributes

 For Every Attribute there is an opposite,

effective attribute.

 E.g., Milk Pak and Haleeb.

 Crest toothpaste fights cavities, but Close Up
freshens breath.

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Law of Candor
 When you admit a negative the prospect will give you a positive.

 A negative is more acceptable than a positive and that opens the

mind.
 Prospects know what the truth is, and they reward honesty
 The 1970 V W will stay Ugly Longer implies reliability not good looks
 UPS’s brown trucks are ugly, but we love the truck

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