In the CEO Afterlife

APRIL 1, 2012

Monster entered the market after Red Bull, discounted their product, proliferated the hell out of the brand, and committed a boatload of sins that would give marketing pundits Al Reis and Jack Trout migraine headaches. A market did not exist for his brainchild; Mateschitz believed he could create one.

Trout 249

Trout Reis Sports Brand 249

Harvard Business Review

APRIL 5, 2012

I am deeply indebted to Al Ries and Jack Trout for advancing branding with their classic book, Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind , in which they introduce the concept of positioning, defined as the brand perception residing in a person's mind. It is an excellent book in many ways and still relevant.

Trout 13

Trout Ries Brand Retail 13

Harvard Business Review

MAY 9, 2016

The way we think about brands need to change. You had a relationship with a brand. But in this social age, brands are the relationships. By defining a brand’s particular kind of relationship, companies can create greater engagement, differentiation, and loyalty. A brand started out as an identifying mark.

Brand 8

Brand Airlines Health Care Trout 8

Harvard Business Review

OCTOBER 20, 2015

But as consumer interactions become ever more digital – perhaps because of this — consumers are seeking out real-world interactions with brands and their stories. A majority of guests have a more favorable opinion of Coca-Cola after they visit the brand home and 94 percent say they would recommend the experience to a friend.

Brand 8

Brand Storytelling Trout Retail 8

Harvard Business Review

MAY 21, 2012

One does not have to look any further than Al Ries and Jack Trout's bestseller, Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind. As such, we must ask new questions to understand how to take part in the performance: How does my brand connect — socially, philosophically, functionally — with others in the co-creation matrix?

Marketing 12

Marketing Trout Ries Brand 12