The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing

When a competitor owns a word or position in the prospect’s mind, it is futile to attempt to own the same word.

Perhaps it’s human nature not to admit there are things you can’t do. Certainly most marketers believe that anything is achievable if you are energetic enough, or creative enough, or determined enough. Especially if you are willing to spend enough money.

marketing plans based on what will happen in the future are usually wrong.

To find that singular idea or concept, marketing managers have to know what’s happening in the marketplace. They have to be down at the front in the mud of the battle. They have to know what’s working and what isn’t. They have to be involved.

With New Coke safely tucked away in the archives, Coke would be able to invoke the law of focus and bring back the concept of the “Real Thing” and use it against Pepsi.
To pull the trigger, Coke could go on television and say to the Pepsi Generation, “All right kids, we’re not going to push you. When you’re ready for the Real Thing, we’ve got it for you.” That would be the beginning of the end of the Pepsi Generation (if Pepsi-Cola hadn’t already killed it off all by itself).
Not only is this idea simple and powerful, but it’s really the only move available to Coke. It exploits the only words that Coke owns in the minds of its prospects: The Real Thing.

What works in marketing is the same as what works in the military: the unexpected.

Most often there is only one place where a competitor is vulnerable. And that place should be the focus of the entire invading force.

Trying harder is not the secret of marketing success.

Furthermore, in any given situation there is only one move that will produce substantial results.

Many marketing people see success as the sum total of a lot of small efforts beautifully executed.
They think they can pick and choose from a number of different strategies and still be successful as long as they put enough effort into the program