From all my years in research and consulting, I think I’ve learned a thing or two about marketing worth sharing. Enduring fundamentals, mostly yet often overlooked. So, this year, I’m sharing some for your consideration. I hope they’re helpful. This week’s thought: Price is the most important P. When E. Jermone McCarthy first articulated the “Four Ps” in his 1960 textbook as the best way to organize a managerial approach to marketing, he put primary...| Of The Four P’s, Price Is The Most Important
Chaos is a recurring condition of civilization. Whether caused by an outside force or the enemy within, chaos can put people and organizations into response mode and, worse, lead to disorientation within the organization. The good news is that strategy is born of chaos. Carl von Clausewitz (pictured), Michael Porter, Richard Rumelt, Margaret Heffernan, Jay Barney, Jack Trout, Al Ries, and Peter Drucker — among others — have addressed the corners of chaos through their...| Of The Four P’s, Price Is The Most Important
Cracker Barrel has relented and returned to its original brand proposition. At the same time, we learn that Jaguar, the iconic British sports car, is completely redefining itself including a vehicle overhaul redesign. Is the choice of a single-dimensional solution the answer? Are marketers still tethered to the “tyranny of the OR” as Jim Collins and Jerry Poras pointed out in Built to Last (1994)? Have marketers and corporate executives not learned anything over the...| Of The Four P’s, Price Is The Most Important
Why do some brands spark passionate debates while others are quickly forgotten? The answer lies not in what they embrace, but in what they boldly reject. The best brands aren’t built by trying to be everything to everyone. They’re built by drawing a line. In a crowded marketplace, it’s not enough to say what you stand for; you need to be bold enough to say what you stand against. This is the power of a...| Of The Four P’s, Price Is The Most Important
It’s always important to have a deep, unvarnished understanding of your brand. This clarity is what allows leaders to make smart decisions, inspire confidence, and build trust inside and outside the organization. One must: Know its qualities and strengths. Acknowledge the organization’s accomplishments. Nourish a positive vision of the business’s future. However, at the same time, the pathway to sustainable growth can be unwittingly compromised by the absence of unflinching, critical, s...| Building A Leading Brand Requires Critical Self-Examination