Al Ries

Marketing Strategist, Author & Speaker

Biggest Achievements:

Author of "Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind" and "The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing"

Legacy: Co-founder of the concept of positioning in marketing

Influence: Widely adopted strategies in branding and marketing

Book Sales: "Positioning" sold hundreds of thousands of copies

Impact: Revolutionized marketing with his principles of brand positioning

Life Timeline

Al Ries began his journey in the ordinary world of advertising in the 1950s, working at advertising agencies where he developed a keen understanding of consumer behavior and marketing strategies.

Ries faced the problem of creating distinctive and memorable brand identities in a crowded marketplace, a challenge he was uniquely suited to solve with his deep insights into positioning and brand differentiation.

Initially, Ries, like many heroes, avoided fully committing to radical changes in marketing techniques, relying on traditional advertising methods until he recognized the necessity of innovative approaches to stand out in the competitive landscape.

Ries met his mentors in the form of influential marketing thinkers and his long-time collaborator Jack Trout, who provided guidance and inspiration, helping him refine his ideas and prepare for his transformative journey in the marketing industry.

Committing wholeheartedly to his mission, Ries encountered threshold guardians in the form of skeptical clients and entrenched industry norms, which he challenged with his groundbreaking theories on positioning and marketing laws.

Fully entering the mysterious new world of strategic marketing, Ries navigated the complexities of brand positioning, testing his methods and refining his strategies to achieve remarkable success in helping companies establish strong market positions.

Having adjusted to the special world of brand strategy, Ries delved deeper into the heart of his industry, developing his concepts into a cohesive framework that culminated in his central ordeal: the creation of "Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind."

In the deepest chamber of the special world, Ries faced his greatest challenge: convincing the broader business community to adopt his revolutionary marketing techniques. This ordeal required him to effectively communicate the value of his methods and to overcome entrenched resistance.

Ries cheated death by surviving the crisis of the supreme ordeal, emerging victorious with widespread recognition and success for his methodologies. He seized the sword of victory by solidifying his reputation as a leading expert in marketing and positioning.

Once the lessons of the great ordeal were absorbed, Ries faced the choice of whether to remain solely in the business world or to further expand his influence. He chose to take the road back, sharing his insights through consulting, speaking engagements, and his books, thus returning to the ordinary world but with transformative knowledge.

Before fully reentering the ordinary world, Ries underwent a final purging and purification, solidifying his new self through continued learning and refinement of his strategies. This resurrection allowed him to return to his starting place with a sense of having started a new life, forever different because of the journey he had traveled.

True to the hero’s journey, Ries returned with the elixir from the special world, bringing with him powerful insights and strategies to share with others. This elixir had the power to heal a wounded understanding of marketing efficiency, and his continued efforts to distribute these insights to others in the ordinary world became the final test of his heroism.

Famous Quotes

"Marketing is not a battle of products, it’s a battle of perceptions."

- Al Ries

"To be successful today, you have to touch base with reality. To the extent that reality is changing, you have to change."

- Al Ries

"Positioning is not what you do to a product. Positioning is what you do to the mind of the prospect."

- Al Ries

Available Lessons

© GrowFast LLC 2024