Rating: 
Summary: the war of marketing - alright!!!
Review: I'm a big fan of these two authors - Al Ries and Jack Trout. Now, don't let the title of my review put you off; but it's just that I've read 4 books in the last week by the same author (Trout-Sama) and I'm honestly predicting what examples are coming up on the next line before reading them. They are all very much alike.We understand that competition is fierce and that differentiation is a vital key - we learnt this in the 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing, we learnt this in Diff or Die, we learnt this again in Marketing War-Fare. I give this book 4 stars however, cause even though the theory is not entirely original, I did like some of the way they put things. I am a big fan of Sun Tzu's work - and the comparison of methods of war with methods of management and marketing. I'm sure a lot of ideas had been taken from this. My advice to the world is that everyone asks more questions when reading books. Don't just listen to stuff that authors say. Read Ogilvy on Advertising - the best book in the world. He is a genius. I'm not just refering negaitively to Ries and Trout, I love their work. But let me quote them and you make up your own mind - 'The problem with marketing today is not just the lack of rules. The biggest problem of all is the failure to realize that one ought to have rules in the first place.' Now, you make up your mind. If Marketing had clear rules - like for example, Accounting, Economics (I think this is what you both are suggesting) - then how bloody boring it would come. I mean come on. If there is one thing I have learnt during the last two years of business school it is that marketing is the most amazing subject as you just never know whats going to happen next. How someone will advertise a product, what campaign will happen next, who will be the next start-up, how your competitor will attack you. It's all amazing. Compare that to bloody accounting - what a joke. And you guys wanna bring in rules. It's ok to present an idea, but it's not ok in today's business world to proclaim to the entire world that marketing lacks rules, and that I HAVE A PROBLEM not understanding that rules should exist in the unique marketing world. Ries and Trout, you are lucky to get 4 stars off me this time.
Rating: 
Summary: An illuminating framework for understanding competition
Review: I'm an engineer by training. The authors conveyed their marketing concepts in easy-to-understand terms thru analogy with warfare. I tried to apply their framework to Intel vs. AMD and Amazon.com vs. E-bay. I believe I have acquired some understanding of why the marketing folks at Intel and Amazon.com are doing what they are doing. Enough knowledge to have made me dangerous :-) Would have been nice if authors had included a few chapters on cases where the analogy of marketing with warfare breaks down.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book on the principles of strategic marketing
Review: If you're looking for a how-to-set-up-a-marketing-program book, keep on looking because this book is not about that. It's about the strategic choices that precede implementation. The first chapters describe general principles (force, advantage of defense and that a marketing war is fought in the mind of the prospect)of (marketing) warfare. The next section describes the "strategic square": Defensive, offensive, flanking and guerilla warfare. What kind of company (size, position etc.)should follow which strategy and why? In my work as management consultant I still find that a lot of strategic mistakes are made because the strategy does not match the position or size of the company. So pay attention. The book concludes with a number of classic (cola, computer, hamburger, beer) marketing cases which describes the strategy (and the mistakes) of the players involved. Even if you are more experienced in marketing, I would very strongly recommend it. If you are not learning from it, it surely reminds you to be consistent. Oh, and not unimportant: it is a fun-to-read book.
Rating:
Summary: GREAT BOOK
Review: It's another marketing classic by the same authors of the "Postioning". I like the way it compares War and Marketing, Offensive, Defensive, Flanking, Guerilla, etc. a MUST READ book!
Rating:
Summary: Not bad.
Review: Makes things sound easy enough. Easy reading, hopefully some wisdom, too.
Rating: 
Summary: Another attempt to make a war out of everything
Review: Many writters, not only from business, are appealed by war jargon. By relating a subject with war we can always make a book marketable, because people are also appealed by. No doubt that "kitchen on war", "marriage on war" or "football on war" are books to be issue very soon. Their sales could even be boosted if authors put in learnings from Von klausevich or Sun Tzu. Obvioulsly, strategy is part of life and to act and counteract to others's action is part of everyone life. Nevertheless, after have read this book, apart from some clever comparisons, nothing new remains. In the end, the beauty of this book is that you can feel "a Napoleon" next time you are in your office. The tree stars come from that feeling brought about by the book. There are many marketing books much worse.
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Summary: Marketing is war
Review: Marketing is War. And there is a great deal marketers can learn from the military and its strategies. From the beginning Marketing Warfare describes many stories of war that have come and gone starting with the Marathon in 490 B.C. to the Normandy invasion of World War II. In all these battles the concepts of planning, strategy and overpowering competition emerged. They also use many references to Karl von Clasusewitz, George S. Patton and other great generals; they almost give them a `God' status throughout the book. Starting this book off Ries and Trout, the authors of this book, compare marketing to a football game. For a team to win they must overwhelm, outflank and outsmart their opponents. Also just like in football marketers need a good "game plan" so they emphasize the importance of a developed marketing plan. The coaches come up with a plan of attack but they cannot step on the field so they have to pass it on to the players to try and come back with a victory. In marketing the marketing plan is just that `a plan'. They cannot guarantee it will work. All they can do is research and put it on the table to let someone else follow through with.
The principle of force which seems to be the most fundamental and necessary of all, Ries and Trout believe that it is easier to stay on top of the market than it is to climb to the top despite the popular saying, which is the exact opposite. The second principle is the superiority of defense, "the defense form of war is in itself stronger than the offense" Karl von Clasusewitz, author of On War. Linking back to football, `the best defense is a strong offense.' When "attacking" another company you must have the upper hand to succeed just like in war. More and more it is evident that marketing steals their terms from the military, the "cola wars" and "attacking competition strategy." And they try and succeed in planting them within the minds of the consumer.
Ries and Trout believe that marketers along with the military should be vague in their promises just like the politicians are. If someone is so specific and cannot follow through on their word they lose all their integrity and respect, whereas if they are vague and follow through in more time than expected then they have held to their word and we still believe in them (for the most part). They also believe that the nature of the marketing battleground is not anywhere physical but in the minds of the consumers. Most companies don't want to be like "Kleenex" where your name is one that is substituted in for the item you are selling here it is facial tissues. Because then you get in to trouble just like aspirin, when your company is used to describe what product market you're in it spells t-r-o-u-b-l-e legally.
There are four ways to fight within a marketing war (the strategic square): defensive, offensive, flanking and guerrilla. Your firm's market share relative to competitors is what establishes the strategy that is the most suitable for your company not anyone else's.
"There are three basic principle of defensive marketing warfare, that are easy to practice but hard to learn" according to Ries and Trout. The market leader only should pursue first, defensive strategies. The best thing to remember here is that customers create leaders not the company itself. Next, attacking yourself is the best defensive strategy, if you come out with something over and beyond your own products you only hurt your market share a little versus your competitor coming out with that product and stealing your position. Finally, leaders should always block strong offensive moves made by competitors, failure to do so might mean the loss of market share. If your competitors attack you and you lay there like a dead dog they are sure to attack you over and over until they have your entire market share and your company.
The three basic principles of offensive marketing warfare are first the competition. A key concern should always be alerted to the strength of the leader's position and not itself. In the business world you must always look to where you want to go, even if you are always chasing the leader you will still gain market share on the way. Second, actually the most important is to find a weakness within the leader's strength and attack that. If you can pick apart their strength and find a flaw within that is your ticket, because anyone can attack someone's weakness, you have to really understand the market to do the opposite. Finally, make your attack as narrow and specific as possible, trying singling out a distinct product. When you attack an entire company people do not pay as much attention to you, but when you pick one-product line consumers become more interested in what you have to say.
Flanking is the most innovative way to fight a marketing war; it is an indirect attack on the leader in an area where they have yet to establish a strong market position. The three principles of flanking are: a flanking move must be made in an unchallenged area. Basically, it should target a segment that the leader doesn't compete in. Second, there should be an element of surprise, this is important because it doesn't give the leader a chance to rally the forces. Finally, the follow through is just as important as the attack, you do not quit when you are ahead in this just like in war you drive your forces further and deeper to establish your product. Flanking is often used in football. You want the opposition to think you are going right then you can go deep left and find a hole. Flanking is one of the more confusing ways to fight a marketing war, but it is very effective when done correctly.
Guerrilla marketing is a small movement and is very different from the leader's position. This method of attack is good for competition that can not use offensive or flanking moves to achieve their wanted goals. First, identify a segment small enough to defend. You can decide this based on geography, price or demographics. Next, no matter how successful you become, never act like the leader, by doing this you are setting your company up to start going back down to where you where before your attack. You must resist spending and expanding quickly, because it will be your downfall. Finally, be ready to exit on short notice, " a company that runs away lives to fight another day." The basic idea of guerrilla marketing is to put forth assets into a specific area and take over that area.
Ries and Trout drove in points. From now on I will always remember that marketing is war, companies fight for market share and to be in the mind of the consumer just like countries fight for freedom. Also, tactical surprise should be the most important part of the plan, however follow through might be just as important. Always take advantage and attack yourself, do not allow your competitors to have the upper hand. I think the strength of the entire book is they are consistent and really know what they are talking about.
Military terms throughout this book are very abundant; it made me feel a little preoccupied trying to break down what they were trying to say instead of helping me to remember the important points. Another thing that was hard for me to swallow was that they went against a well-known saying that has been engrained in my head forever, `It's easier to stay in top than it is to get there.'
I do recommend reading this book because the strengths definitely outweigh the weaknesses. The use of military terminology did in fact help me remember more than I thought they would and it helped that I believed in and agreed with a lot of what they were saying. This book is well written and helps to understand marketing as a whole, and then be able to break it down piece by piece, and also relate it back to the military crutch that it is supported upon.
Rating:
Summary: The ultimate strategy for the battle of minds
Review: Marketing is war. The companies have to fight for customers and against each other. Thus the rules of military combat are fully applicable, Ries and Trout insist. That is why they use the ideas of the best military strategist ever known - Karl von Clausewitz - to show how to win a marketing war. And it seems pretty simple. However, only at first glance. The authors give to a business strategist a set of tools to assess the position and the situation on the ground (which is minds of the actual and prospect clients) in accordance with two basic military principles:
- the principle of force: more money and human resources always come over less money and human resources
- the superiority of the defense: defensive strategy demands less money and resources to win the marketing combat. After assessing the situation, a strategist chooses which type of marketing war to wage (so called "the strategic square"):
- defensive
- offensive
- flanking
- guerilla Each type of war is in its turn determined by a set of strategic principles. Follow them and you are doomed to success. As simple as it gets. Just do ALL the things correctly. The only problem is that you have to do correctly so many things while assessing the situation and choosing and waging the type of marketing war, that winning is becoming an art of itself, rather then a strictly defined set of rules. The case studies in the second half of the book show that even the best and the biggest companies often fail to deliver the positive results. And the last, but not least: "A general can no more entertain the idea of fighting to the last man than a good chess player would play an obviously lost game", Clausewitz wrote. Admittedly, "no purpose is served by wasting resources to conserve egos. Better to admit defeat and move on to another marketing war", Ries and Trout add. I just cannot agree more on these statements.
Rating:
Summary: Insightful, lively and real.
Review: Nice to see that the cover has been reworked. Still prefere the old one. It captures the essence on the book The book perhaps deals a little too much with companies and brands that have been arround for many years. I think an analysis of emerging industries would proeve to be more valuble in the fast changing consumer markets. It is easier to review the past and submitt an analysis, do not get me wrong the value of this is emense, but I would like to these good marketing minds put their intellectual capacity to markets that are on the cutting edge both interms of technology but aslo interms of comsumer dynamics. All in all a must read for Senior Marekting Managers and Director types who continue to not pay attention to the basics as outlined in the book. I work for South Afrca's biggest brewing company and I can vividly relate to some of the follies outlined in the book. Great Book
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Summary: The Markertplace is a Battlefield.. a great easy read.
Review: The book looks at Marketing from a military perspective. The book was largely influenced by the book "On War" by the retired Prussian general Karl von Clausewitz. It basically outlines 4 broad Marketing Strategies which depend on your market position, the nature of your product and on the competition; viz, Offense, Defense, Flanking and guerrilla warfare. "Marketing promises should be as vague as political ones. Otherwise you will erode the effectiveness of your forces", "Marketing battles are fought inside the mind. Inside your own mind and inside the mind of your prospects every day of the week.", "keep the forces concentrated in an overpowering mass. The fundamental idea. Always to be aimed at before all and as far as possible.", "The more helpless the situation, the more everything presses toward one single, desperate blow.", "Strategy and Timing are the Himalayas of Marketing. Everything else is the Catskills.", et cetera.
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