This book is for intermediate to advanced level marketers. It shows you the strategies used by big brand names like Coke, Pepsi, Toyota, AT&T, etc. It chronicles the battle of these big name brands and the brilliant moves of some, and the dumb mistakes of others.

One of my favorite parts of the book is when the authors talk about "rungs" within peoples minds. Did you know that, depending on the product that you are marketing, only a set number of rungs exist within peoples minds?

Another fascinating point in this book is where they discuss how important it is to position yourself on these rungs. They ask a few questions to really drill the point home about how important the position you occupy on this ladder of rungs really is. For example, they ask you, "Who was the first President of the U.S.? Now who was the second?" Or "Who was the first man on the moon? Now who was the second?" So it had me thinking OMG they are right. They then go into how Hertz Rent A Car was on the second rung and they included this in their marketing literature by saying, "We're #2". Hertz then went on to include in their sales copy that because they were number two, they would try harder for your business. Hertz gained massive market share and was so successful with doing this that they pulled dead even with Avis. They then changed their marketing literature to say "We're #1" to try and take the #1 position and they failed miserably and their sales fell back down. The authors go on to explain why Hertz should have stayed with the #2 marketing literature. Fascinating book that talks about what the big boys do in marketing. I highly recommend this entertaining book.

From the author of Internet Marketing-Profits That Lie Hidden In Your Website: How To Triple Your Web Sales In 25 Days

It's easy to criticise this book and yet there are still a few interesting hypotheses here.

Ries and Trout say much the same things over and over in all their books, speeches, and videos. So each book then needs a new angle and here they take the slant of presenting their views as natural (i.e. scientific laws). They admirably write "There are laws of nature, so why shouldn't there be laws of marketing ? You can build a great-looking airplane but it isn't going to get off the ground unless it adheres to the laws of physics, especially the law of gravity...So it follows that you can build a brilliant marketing program only to have one of the immutable laws knock you flat if you don't know what they are."

Unfortunately Ries and Trout's understanding of what is a scientific law is pretty patchy, so many of the `laws' they present are more like propositions or suggestions for doing marketing. Even the best of the 22 immutable laws are vague, none are quantified, nowhere are the conditions described where the laws hold and where they do not, and none are based on systematic collection of evidence (just anecdotes). A number are just repeats of each other, while some are tautological statements. In spite of all these weaknesses there is an underlying theoretical proposition that is interesting and worth some discussion and research.

The first, and presumably most important of the 22 `laws' is the "law of leadership - it's better to be first [into a market] than it is to be best. This idea of pioneering advantage has been well researched in the academic literature, with the recent definitive articles showing that the advantage is over-rated (Golder, 1993; Tellis, 1996). Very many brand leaders were not the first into their category, but then Ries and Trout contradict themselves anyway with their third law (the law of the mind) - "it's better to be first in the mind than to be first in the marketplace". And this is really what the book, and their others, are about - that marketing is a battle to gain some mindshare. They argue that this is easier if you are the first to be associated with a category benefit and if you retain this leadership (`laws' 1,2,3,4). Hence they argue for focus on being known for one thing (`laws' 5,6,13,14) so they argue against brand extension (`law' 12). Clearly the `law' isn't absolute, as they used it as basis for previously criticizing Microsoft while praising focused competitors like Lotus and Harvard Graphics (and we all know where these brands are now).

They also argue that categories split, becoming more specialist over time, and that is useful to use this fragmentation (`law' 10). It's for this reason that Al (and daughter Laura) Ries incorrectly predicted the flop of the iPhone. Still it's an interesting proposition that needs considerable research.

Most of their other laws are just quaint platitudes, patronising their readers and padding out this short book with lame advice like "things are unpredictable" (`law' 17), "success can lead to arrogance" (`law' 18), "it's good to learn from your failures" (`law' 19) "things are often different than how they appear in the press" (`law' 20) "it's better to build on a trend than a fad" (`law' 21) and "without adequate funding an idea won't get off the ground" (`law' 22).

Reading the 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing is a lot like eating a Twinkie. It's light and yummy, with no pesky nutrition to slow you down. An enjoyable and easy read, but not much substance. There are some principles presented here that are indeed central to the field of marketing - the Law of the Mind and the Law of Resources to name two. And you wouldn't want to be the marketer who hasn't read Ries and Trout. But this is just a taste of marketing. You'll need to read more to get a full meal.

Now this is one of the most simple books I've ever read on the subject, but it's chock full of the true rules on marketing.

Some might say it's a slap in the face or without substance but the TRUTH is that these are very simple laws, and if applied correctly will help one be able to market.

I always refer to this book when launching a new clients product. Of course, you can't market without research and many other things, but if you apply these simple laws to your research and creative content, you will do well. So the truth is it's simple. It's not rocket science and it can be done..

I am not a marketer, but getting marketing right is critical. If an entrepreneur or sales person reads only one book on marketing, this would be it.

Using actual examples and sharp analysis, Al Ries and Jack Trout offer 22 "laws" that amount to a basic, concise distillation of their marketing experience and wisdom. Their examples are pithy enough to keep the most jaded marketing person engaged. And their lessons are embedded verities that would be hard to dispute. The only drawback is that this classic may be a bit dated, so it is interesting to see how surprisingly well some of their original observations have fared over the years. We recommend this classic to anyone seriously interested in marketing. After all, you can't ignore the law.

Although this book is rather old, and was written before the online era, these marketing laws are timeless and should be etched in to the mind of every marketer. Highly recommended, even in 2007.

Although it was written in 1994, this book holds strong as an good resource for marketing professionals. It is a fun and fast read that will get you focused on what you need to be doing to be a successful marketer.

This book was fun to read. It is straight to the point, a quick read, easy to follow and written for the novice or expert with lots of meaningful contents, great ideas and examples. It is not a book that will leave you confused, it will leave you with a full understanding of what it takes to be successful in marketing. This book is not going to turn you into a marketing guru over night. "Marketing situations are subject to a zillion of circumstances" as Alexander Repiev puts it. This is just a primer on the subject. However, this book's concept is very faddish. It is very contradictory and deceptive as some of the laws depict, but by the time most people realize it they would have already spent their money on the book.

As an online marketing professional for an internet web design company, I found this relatively old book to be quite useful in the online arena. This book is a quick read much like their other books. If you are a marketing professional, or an assistant to a marketing professional, or in school dreaming of becoming an assistant to a marketing professional, or just now applying to schools to study to be an assistant to a marketing professional, then this book would prove to be invaluable. As with many of their books, it's a quick read and you almost wonder why you spent the money. I suggest you get it used or combined with some kind of deal. Although it is an excellent book, it's not the type of book you have to get right away. Wait until there is some kind of sale, or super saver discount, or "borrow" it from your neighborhood library.

The book is well written and easy to read. It is short and to the point. The concepts are well developed and easy to understand.

The biggest drawback is the examples are now of course out of date. At the time of the writing, Acura was ahead of Lexus. We all know how that played out. In the personal computer line, Dell was not on the radar screen - now it owns the market. And The Donald was an example of marketing gone bad - extending the name to too many products. But things have certainly changed - at least for the present for him.

If you don't let all the dated examples get in your way of understanding the concepts, then there is some great information. It is not a how to book. It simply states 22 laws of marketing that should be understood and applied to your marketing efforts.

If you are interested in your business succeeding, reading this book would be a wise investment. It is getting much more difficult to gain a place in the consumer's mind. Learn from the book, not by making mistakes in your own business.

The book is well written and easy to read. It is short and to the point. The concepts are well developed and easy to understand.

The biggest drawback is the examples are now of course out of date. At the time of the writing, Acura was ahead of Lexus. We all know how that played out. In the personal computer line, Dell was not on the radar screen - now it owns the market. And The Donald was an example of marketing gone bad - extending the name to too many products. But things have certainly changed - at least for the present for him.

If you don't let all the dated examples get in your way of understanding the concepts, then there is some great information. It is not a how to book. It simply states 22 laws of marketing that should be understood and applied to your marketing efforts.

If you are interested in your business succeeding, reading this book would be a wise investment. It is getting much more difficult to gain a place in the consumer's mind. Learn from the book, not by making mistakes in your own business.

It's full of Basic but sometimes forgotten rules that make you stop and think again about what is marketing for you... Every Marketing involved person should have one at home!

Refreshing to read a business book and feel that the author's really do know their stuff. The book is full of sensible opinion backed up with abundant factual examples. A must-read if you intend to market your products.

While an interesting light read, these 'laws' are not immutable. Nor would your business be in peril if you ignored them, as the authors suggest.

In general, these laws are only for those obsessed with being number one. People going for those few #1 slots would find this book useless. For everyone else, there are a few small pearls to be gathered, but digging through the muck to find them makes them difficult to spot.

Want to sell more of your product? Want to know how to market effectively? Then you need to get this book. As a constant reader, I find that thinner books offer so much more than larger books. Why? Thinner books condense information into easy to understand rules, laws, and principles. Al Ries breaks down the rules of successful marketing down to just 22 laws, and he does a great job of explaining each. How much easier can that be? And you only need to remember just a few of them to market successfully. And though this book was not written to tell you exactly how you are going to make your product sell more, it will tell you your goals and destinations. This is the first book any marketer should read. Only then does it make sense to read the rest.

Gus Maximus
The Art of Gamefare
The Art of Winning at Multiplayer Video Games
www.TheArtofGamefare.com

I'm new to the marketing world but I thought the book gave many excellent practicle tactics. Some of the case study were a little out to date but over all I thought it was an excellent buy.

A delusion does not stop to be a delusion simply because
the majority share it.
Leo Tolstoy

If this text were written by a student, it would be pooh-poohed. However... most of reviewers here gave it five stars. Why? There is the so-called Blatant Nonsense Effect: if they read a blatant nonsense produced by an authority, many will believe it, especially those with herd instincts.

Marketing alchemists are in quest for "laws." Theodore Levitt: "The problem with the marketing con-cept is a persistent tendency toward rigidity. It get dogmatized. There is not, and cannot be, any rigid and lasting interpretation of what the marketing concept means." But nobody takes heed of that.

Marketing situations are subject to a zillion of circumstances - precisely what make "a rigid dogmatiza-tion" a folly. Also, any result in business is an outcome of joint efforts of many departments.

NO PROOFS - Messrs Ries & Trout prove nothing and do not delineate validity ranges for their "wis-doms."

EXAMPLES - In the ocean of marketing situations you can find examples of whatever, including mu-tually exclusive ones.

IMMUTABILITY - The authors do not know the meaning of "immutable." Physics laws are immuta-ble because they work without exceptions. The" 22 immutable laws" are rather exceptions. The "im-mutabilis" epidemic is now raging.

READERSHIP - Who is the target readership of the book? Microsoft, Coca-Cola, Harley-Davidson, and a score of other grandees; or millions of SMEs that manufacture useful mundane products? Looks like grandees.

A CLIENT'S MIND - The authors admit that marketing is a game occurring in the mind of a Client. But they provide ample evidence of being absolutely disinterested in this game.
So, they overlook the fact that today's Clients are indifferent, cynical, overwhelmed with proposals in any product category, sick of advertising, and armed with the Internet. Clients have scarce personal re-sources: time, attention, memory, interestedness, desire to strain themselves, etc. Are they willing to spend them on trade names? Sometimes yes; mostly not.
That's harsh reality. Most of marketing texts ignore it.
SOPHOMORIC REASONING - "There are laws of nature, so why shouldn't there be LAWS OF MARKETING?" - That's logic for you!

FALLACIES and BANALITIES - The book is a collection of easily refuted fallacies and unnecessary banalities.

The FALLACIES:
1. LEADERSHIP - "It's better to be first than it is to be better."
How do the authors define "first"? By market share, profits, capitalization, or whatever? A company with the largest share may be not the most profitable.
"Get into the mind first" - walk out of your ivory tower and poll whether people know "firsts," etc. One may know the names of a dozen of non-marketing "firsts." But can this idea be mechanistically translated to categories?
The "law" suggests that (1) you should not convince prospects; (2) you should not strive to improve your products; (3) ALL the vendors minus one (first) in a category pursue faulty marketing strategies.
An ocean of firms fare well without creating a category, many category creators go belly up. Creating a category and "getting into the mind" are uncorrelated things.
"You should always try to select a name that can work generically." - Ironically, Ries in his "22 Im-mutable Laws of Branding" says exactly the opposite.
Guys, will you please settle this round the corner. If, of course, you respect the readership. And is you do not want to make fools of yourself.

3. MIND - "It is better to be first in the mind than first in the marketplace."
Well, if there is a place available in that mind!
Law 1 says it is better to be first than it is to be better. Law 3 says there is something better still.

4. PERCEPTION - "Marketing is not a battle of products, it's a battle of perceptions."
A Client has no perceptions about a sea of products. How is he supposed to purchase them?

5. FOCUS - "The most powerful concept in marketing is owning a word in the prospect's mind."
and
6. EXCLUSIVITY - "Two companies cannot own the same word in the prospect's mind."
Go out and ask people in the street what "words" are owned by thousands of firms.

14. ATTRIBUTES - "For every attribute, there is an opposite, effective attribute."
Nonsense. Suppose I use the attribute "good." Will the opposite, i.e., "bad," be more effective?

7. LADDER - "The strategy to use depends on which rung you occupy on the ladder."
What "strategies" are recommended for each rung?
The authors allege that each rung has twice the market share of the rung below it. Much data refute this!

8. DUALITY - "In the long run, every market becomes a two-horse race."
In rare occasions, e.g., in popular software, this may be the case, but there are thousands of prosperous many-horse lines of business: beverages, sportswear, construction, oil, etc.

9. OPPOSITE - "If you're shooting for second place, your strategy is determined by the leader."
"If the leader is STRONG, #2 can occupy his place." Well, and if the leader is WEAK? What is a claimant supposed to do?
Not a single example of something "opposite."

11. PERSPECTIVE - "Marketing effects take place over an extended period of time."
and
21. ACCELERATION - "Successful programs are not built on fads, they're built on trends."
Some marketing effects take place overnight; others, may take years.
The Japanese say that they think ten years ahead; Europeans think ten days ahead; and Americans think ten minutes ahead.

12. LINE EXTENSION - "There's an irresistible pressure to extend the equity of the brand."
The authors are dogmatic fighters against line extension although there are lots of successful extensions around.

15. CANDOR - "When you admit a negative, the prospect will give you a positive."
Well, a couple of dubious examples may or may not support this statement.

16. SINGULARITY - "In each situation only one move will produce substantial results."
Can you, guys, prove that?

The other "laws" are a collection of banalities. I'll only mention one here:

18. SUCCESS - "Success often leads to arrogance, and arrogance to failure."
This "law" splendidly applies to our authors.

GLOOMY CONCLUSIONS - This piece of wishful thinking and fantasia is a disappointment and a disaster. It is insulting for serious professionals.

Also, the book is a litmus paper of the qualification and integrity of the book's 17 academic reviewers - they pronounced this collection of fallacies, banalities, exceptions, wrong prophecies, and downright stupidities the "best marketing book."
Something is rotten in the kingdom of marketing!

This is one of the best books I've ever read on marketing! I serve as the Chief Marketing Officer of a large firm in Chicago and have been involved in marketing for over 20 years. Few books I've ever read so completely cover such a vast array of "secrets" that those who understand marketing get but others are ignorant to. This will be a must read for my entire staff!

If you're in marketing chances are you already know most of the stuff in this book. (Although he gives examples of a few rules that even the best of the best frequently break)-so you still might learn something yourself. But I think the best use of this book is to show to a boss or client who THINKS they know about marketing and really don't know jack. Anybody in marketing knows that coming up with the idea is only half the job, you then have to sell the idea to the powers that be.
My suggestion, make them read the book. It's very very short.
And it might save you some headaches.
Ironically, my boss suggested I get the book for both of us on the recommendation of a friend. When I read it I thought, well, I didn't learn too much from it myself but thank God he's going to read it because it says everything I've been trying to get into his thick head. If you have the same problem, buy it and put it on their desk. Save yourself the trouble.

As a self-taught marketing professoinal in a small market, I found its advice invaluable, and I would attribute a good portion of my current success to the clearly-written examples and logically organized structure of the book's core ideas. While I do agree with some of the aforementioned flaws, I would hesitate to call the book's laws truly redundant or really out-of-date, as it seemed every word applied to my own company situation(s) and experience(s).

This book is horrrible. It is at least 20 years out of date. There are glaring errors in data and assumptions. I found my self on several occasions being embarrassed for the two fine authors who have written many good books. This is not one of them, don't waste your money.

This book was simply great... fun to read, with lots of meaningful contents, great ideas and examples. I'm very happy after reading it.

NO TIME TO READ OLD IDEAS, LIKE THE PRESENT! Trend-hype and contemporary-spin contribute to the noise in our hectic world. Getting essential information extracted out of our noisy environment is an increasing challenge. Take heart!! This book delivers! Low noise - at a high fidelity level.

PLAGUED BY PEOPLE WHO DON"T GET IT? If you work in a company where sorting through marketing ideas is done by using nothing but a raised wet finger to the wind... then this book will seem like it came down from Mt. Sinai. You will have found true companions in Ries and Trout.

HAVEN'T READ ANYTHING EARTHSHAKING IN MARKETING, LATELY? If you already know all there is to know about marketing basics, then this book will read like a return trip to Mt. Sinai and a relaxing talk with Moses. You can get refreshed by its uncommon directness and simplicity.

"DAMN THE RULES! FULL SPEED AHEAD! THIS IS WAR"!! Finally, if you believe that TRUE success goes to the one who breaks all the rules, then this will save you from early and inevitable disaster... prepare to be convinced that you are wrong... because even after 12 years, these 22 laws appear to be immutable. And in marketing terms, that is an eternity!

This book is a page turner. It's like the DaVinci Code of marketing books. (Except it doesn't take place in France.)

It's a quick read. And it hammers home the same basic message about branding. Because Ries uses dozens of real-world examples to prove his point, it's a joy to read.

I haven't read a lot of marketing books. So I'm not an expert. But after reading this book, I feel like I know the basic truth about branding and can apply it to any situation.

I highly recommend this book.

This is a great marketing primer. As someone who teaches professionals how to find clients, I prefer this book over the groundbreaking Positioning and Marketing Warfare (both great books).-- Henry DeVries, New Client Marketing Institute

OK now, if you are new to the field, you saw Kotler and ran screaming, you dont know where to START learning marketing, this is probably a book for you. Even for a seasoned professional in the field of marketing and marcoms and a grad student in marketing I find this book a crash course in "field marketing". Of course, do take it cum grano salis, as marketing is not quite the math and sometimes it does not "work as prescribed", after all it deals with humans, and what funny creatures we humans are! I am Ries and Trout enthusiast and I like all their books for their writing style as well as the subject matter. I do recommend.

As with Trout & Ries' "22 Immutable Laws of Branding," this book provides many essential "do's and dont's" regarding marketing communications. However, there is significant overlap between the books, and as the authors are known more for being brand communication experts more than marketing management experts, I recommend that you read "22 Immutable Laws of Branding" instead.

The writing in my opinion was poor. Way too much subject matter left out in book.

This book is great because it shows the "laws" of marketing and the results when companies follow or break them. Many of the laws seem counter-intuitive, but that reflects the complexity of business, human nature and the marketplace.

Marketing is based on emotions, perception and reaction. Because of that, it's very difficult to plan marketing strategy based on past sales figures. It's much easier to quantify the results. Unfortunately, by the time one quantifies the results, it can be too late. The authors specifically point out when and why it's best to invest in professional marketing services.

Each law of marketing in this book is explained in useful, real-world context, with specific examples. It's a handy, explanatory reference.

East to understand, wonderful to be reminded of what it takes to market, even yourself! I plan to use it as an intro to advertising.

Similar to many of Ries's other books, this book explains many solid marketing concepts through many well-known, albeit one-sided, examples. I would recommend it since it's short and only takes about an hour or two to read.

The "Laws" couldn't be laid out any clearer or any more concisely. Some of the info is a little dated (the book was written in '93), but the philosophy remains sound.

"The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing" is a short, consice book about the "laws of marketing". Ries and Trout explain the 22 laws that a company needs to obey in it's marketing strategy, along with multiple examples illistrating the laws.

Some of the laws seem to go against common current wisdom, for exmaple the "Law of Line Extension". If most companies have a great brand, they tend to but their brand on as many products as possible. However this book explains why it isn't a great strategy.

I liked the short and to-the-point nature of the book. It is well written and easy to read. My only beef with the book was that it's a little outdated and I found myself wanting more explaination of more current companies. Plus with the examples, you always have to keep in mind that this was back in 1991 and not now, which makes it a little annoying.

However the advice in the book is solid. A good book for anyone in marketing. 4 out of 5 stars.

I enjoyed reading this book and understanding the ideas presented in it. However, it is full of predictions and assumptions that have been proven wrong. Does this mean the "laws" are invalid? Perhaps. Does it mean the authors are to blame for making predictions based on these "laws," that for example, Microsoft will fail to unseat the then-dominant Lotus 1-2-3? Likely.

Then again, some events - like the one above - could merely be the exception. Looking at the laws from a broader point of view, they do make sense. That is, applying them to most companies rather than holding the exceptions as proof at the book is invalid and wrong.

Anyway, I'm sure you will like this book, whether or not you're in marketing. Don't be too critical of the laws and you'll walk away with knowledge you did not have before.

I would heartily recommend the 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing to any marketing professional who is looking to get a little insight into how to more effectively market your company. It's got some great points to make and performs that task admirably.

If I had any complaint, it is that the book is really showing its age by 2005. Reading through some of the laws, in which they hold up certain companies as model practitioners, I can't help but be struck by the fact that these companies DON'T EXIST anymore - or if they do, they certainly don't have the same stature that Trout and Ries afford them in the book. I mean, seriously, holding up Commodore as a successful computer company is almost laughable in this day and age. In the same manner, a company like DHL Worldwide is presented as having a firm lock on international overnight shipping that FedEx's own marketing campaign can't break. In 2005, I think I'd rate DHL as a distant third behind both FedEx and UPS.

It's not that the Laws are bad - in fact, I think they are, for the most part, excellent. Just be ready for a few chuckles (unintentional on the author's part, I'm sure) as you read through their examples of companies that utilize their "Immutable Laws" and yet no longer hold any position of dominance in the market...

For someone who does not have an MBA, and knows very little about business, this was the best book I ever read for giving me the most insight into what I should/should not do in my business. I have recommended this book to every other entrepreneur that I know, and keep it on my desk as one of the "must have references" for my business. While the stories may seem outdated, the principals are still true today. My favorites are "The Law of the Category", "The Law of the Mind", The Law of Duality," and "The Law of Division." I have used some of the "laws" with many a client and gotten them to see that their planned road of marketing was not the right road. You must buy this book!

This book again proves that the worth of a book is not by its weight. This short book spells out 22 essential laws of marketing that everyone in business, not just marketing people, should read. This is an essential book for college students and up, especially those that will eventually work in private industry.

Normally when someone things about marketing strategy, they start envisioning how to market their products better than the competition. A marketer begins to focus on the strengths and weakness of the products they represent in contrast to the strengths and weaknesses of the competitor's products. After various marketing research techniques have been administered, the customer's wants and needs are analyzed. Then a marketing strategy is developed, with the consumer's interest in mind, to effectively reach the target market. In this book, Ries and Trout agree with this broad definition of the marketing approach, however, they further amplify the proper "laws" of effective marketing strategy. I will be discussing three of the twenty two important laws for a successful marketing scheme. According to Ries and Trout following these "laws" will enable a corporation to maintain their dominance within their industry while minimizing conflicts that may arise.
STRENGTHS
* "Marketing effects take place over an extended period of time"

* "If your shooting for second place, your strategy is determined by the leader"
* "It is better to be first than it is to be better"
* "Success often leads to arrogance and arrogance leads to failure"
* "You have to give up something in order to get something"
WEAKNESSES

I felt that Ries and Trout did a good job in presenting their laws for an effective marketing strategy. At first I was taken back when I was reading the first chapter because they opened up with it's better to be first and that's all. So I had the impression that there was no room for second. All these companies came to mind that I believed were successful and they were not the first in the industry. After I continued reading however I realized that my perception of what Ries and Trout were saying was incorrect. The only point I have a hard time agreeing with from this book is the very first law, "It's better to be first than better". I agree to a certain extent that the first person to do something will be remembered more frequently then any other individuals to follow. However, our society has advanced tremendously since the last decade. I believe it's just as important to make a product more efficient once it has been introduced. Companies like 3M and DuPont constantly innovate and design products to become more efficient. I believe that it is important to be first in an industry, but one should make sure the product they are bringing to the industry displays a certain level of quality also.
RECOMMENDATION
I felt that this book was very informative. The examples of various companies that took a downfall because of incorrect marketing strategies made this book an easy read. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is considering a career in marketing. This book makes an individual realize the important guidelines to follow while developing an effective marketing strategy. Without proper marketing strategy implementation the future of a company's long term objectives may be at risk.

I thought that this book was very easy to read and understand. The authors tells you very well about all the laws of marketing which I thought could be a very good guideline for people in the marketing field. It is a very short book so it won't take you too long to finish it!!! Highly recommended for reading!!!

This is an extremely good marketing book. Having just finished a marketing management class, this book will definitely be in my library! It has examples from actual companies to help reinforce each immutable marketing law. The author's have done an excellent job in making the reader more informed about the marketing process.

This little gem of a book is an absolute must read for any serious marketer. 22 clear consice examples of marketing success that household companies have had due in large part to these principles. The best part of this book is the fact that these "laws" apply to all industries and all methods of distribution.

Gary Melnikoff, Partner, Long Term Care Financial Partners.

A. The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Al Ries and Jack Trout is a must read for any marketer or someone who is interested in marketing. While most marketing executives can come up with some great ideas from time to time, there always seems to be some sort of catch to them or they wind up doing something to hurt that brilliant idea without even knowing it. Ries and Trout have come up with what is known as The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing. The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing are designed to help marketers keep from making those fatal mistakes that turn great ideas into marketing disasters.
The format of The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing is laid out in such a manner that each chapter covers one of the 22 immutable laws of marketing. The laws range in subject matter from the introduction of new products, how to maintain market position, how to gain market position, how to combat marketing strategies of your competition, to how to stay at the top once you reach your maximum marketing potential for your company. The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing has successfully accomplished to present one big general idea in twenty two different ways thus making the book very informative and useful to any marketer at any level in any company.

B. Aside from the overall great information and insight provided by the book, there were many great points and ideas that were referred to that I found to be particularly interesting. One such idea was the seventh immutable law of marketing entitled "The Law of the Ladder". "The Law of the Ladder" suggests that in every market there is a number one, number two, number three, and so on companies in the market. These number one, two, and three companies are referred to as "rungs" on the ladder. The law of the Ladder suggests that the best way to market your company if you are currently occupying the second rung on the ladder is to admit your position of being number two and use that to your advantage rather than trying to chase after the company currently occupying the top rung. This law is risky because it requires you to completely expose your company and admit your weakness to the company currently ahead of you on "the ladder". This law works because it relates your company to the number one company in the field by admitting that your company is not number one, but second to the top company in the industry.
The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing makes for good reading because it is not only informative with the material addressed, but Ries and Trout have written the book in such a manner that even the most novice of marketers can relate to. Ries and Trout have also done a good job of making the book easy to relate to by lots of referrals to examples of large, well-known corporations that are still in business today. This book was also written in such a manner that you can pick it up for five minutes and read a little at a time and everything still makes sense.

C. The only weaknesses of the book that I personally can think of would be that the examples used seemed to focus on three main industries. Those industries are beer or alcoholic beverages, car manufacturing, and computer technology. It would have been nice to occasionally hear about some other industries other than these three.

D. As a fellow marketer I would definitely recommend you take the time to read this book. It isn't very long in length and is fairly easy to read yet very informative to the seasoned marketing executive or the college undergraduate with an interest in marketing. The value of the content contained in the book far outweighs the small sacrifice of time it takes to read.

I would recommend The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing whether the reader is interested in marketing or not. It is a fun and short read. I especially enjoyed the style in which the book was written. The authors would introduce the law being addressed in the chapter, give a brief comprehensible definition, and then give two or three real life examples of the law being used, and not being used effectively. By keeping the book short the authors hace produced a book that is enjoyable and educationally valuable.

In The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing, Al Ries and Jack Trout attempt to provide the reader with a set of rules that should always produce the expected result in marketing. The authors ask, rhetorically, why highly paid marketers violate these rules and state that "billions of dollars have been wasted on marketing programs that couldn't possibly work, no matter how clever or brilliant." The implication is that this would not happen if these marketers would simply read this book. Unfortunately a number of the "laws" presented are simplistic, overstated, redundant and, in some cases, contradictory.

The laws start out rather simply: Law 1 "It's better to be first than it is to be better." This one makes sense, yet it is not that groundbreaking. Obviously, being first to market is important, but the authors imply that if you are not first to market you should not get into the market at all.

Law 2 "If you can't be first in a category, set up a new category." Saying it differently, "If you can not be first to market, try a slightly different market." This is still, in effect, being first to market. This seems to be an example of the first law, all it is really saying is that it is important to be first to market.

The first major contradiction comes in Law 7 "The Law of the Ladder" which has to do with how you operate depending on which position in your market you occupy. How can the authors offer a strategy to being in the second position in a market if Law 1 states that you never want to be in any position other than the first? Moving on to Law 9 "The Law of the Opposite: If you're shooting for second place, your strategy is determined by the leader." This law violates the first law, and also seems obvious. When entering a market with a clear leader why would any marketer ignore what that company has done to become the leader? Also in this law the authors state that "you should leverage the leader's strength into a weakness," yet they do not explain how one would do this.

Law 12, "The Law of Line Extension," dictates that extending a brand past what is currently successful is foolish and will fail. The authors state that this is one of the most violated laws, and they illustrate this with an interesting example. The authors take aim at a software company which - in 1993 when the book was written-was just developing. The authors fault the company for trying to acquire assets and software companies to try to compete against already entrenched software giants like Lotus, WordPerfect, and SPC Software. They continue to detail how this company is setting itself up for failure by continuing to push for market leadership in all manner of software applications even though they do not currently lead in any. The name of the company which the authors state "has ominous signs of softness in their strategy" is Microsoft. Microsoft is the current leader in all markets the authors discuss.

While there is some good information offered by Ries and Trout, none of it is all that impressive or insightful. There are a number of contradictions in the laws themselves which seem to make the laws more like easily bendable rules than anything concrete. The suggestions offered are often so vague that it seems like the authors are simply saying "just market better," which is rarely helpful. The examples used are repetitive and often lead to predictions that must embarrass the authors now. The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing does not offer a vastly different perspective on marketing from what most would consider common sense, and the examples fail to be useful.

I would recommend that you read this book. It will help you to develop a more thorough understanding of the guidelines related to marketing. It will intrigue you to find out more about certain marketing concepts. It helps to create an understanding of how to mold these concepts to be the most effective in your particular situation.
This is a very easy book for anyone to follow. It is not time consuming to read. It is not a book that will leave you confused, it will leave you with a full understanding of what it takes to be successful in marketing.
For anyone in the marketing industry this is a must read. They make some very good points in this book that could help you strategically to be successful only because you took the time to read this book. For example, they teach in college generally that it is a good option to pursue line extension strategies. However, this book disagrees. It is always best to obtain information from both sides of the issue in order to make a fully informed decision for your business to potentially be successful in its endeavor.
They use many examples to help reinforce each particular law. They also build upon each law and refer back to previous sections, which helps retention. They are very good at providing several examples to illustrate certain laws.
By the time you finish this book, the examples help to extend the understanding of the particular concept they are talking about. You will subconsciously refer back and analyze how this example meets each of the particular laws that are relevant. It will essentially be beneficial to anyone in business with an interest in marketing.
Even if someone is not a marketing major, this book explains the guidelines in such a simplistic way, that the finance major could understand their theoretical basis behind these concepts.
If you could only read one book about marketing, this would be the book from which you would receive the most benefit in terms of an outstanding marketing understanding.. This book was very straightforward and has intrigued me to also read their bestseller "Positioning." However, positioning is just repeitious and covers the same topics as this book does.

It is important to know that the knowledge from a person who is actually working in the industry. Otherwise you would not be sure if the information actually work for you or not. This author is a real thing and so is his knowledge. I recommend that you read other books that is written by real working author like Gerrilla PR.

In general, the book is easy to read, each law is precise and illustrate with many examples that we are familiar with. Therefore anyone who didn¡¦t studying marketing can also understand.
I learned so much from these 22 laws. For instance, it is better to be the first then it is to be better. It is because the first one always becomes generic name of that category and becomes the leading brand. As a result the prospects can easily recall you since yours product or service almost always the first brand into their mind. And that is the author say ¡§Marketing is a battle of perceptions, not products¡¨.
If anyone who wants to explore more about marketing, I highly recommend reading this book and I am sure you can gain a lot of insight from it.

The perfect companion volume to The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding. However, I found the laws of marketing to overlap somewhat with the laws of branding. But, hey, who ever said the marketing and branding are mutually exclusive sciences? Or sciences at all, for that matter?

The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing is an excellent refresher course to overall marketing principles in the form of bite-size sections. A quick read and a good reference.

If calling any business rule-of-thumb a "law" is a recipe for disaster, claiming it is "immutable" is the proverbial fuse. In "The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing", authors Al Ries and Jack Trout liken successful marketing to a set of "How To's" or "Tips & Tricks". Adding to the somewhat sketchy structure, the authors (wrongly) predict the demise of many organizations - now successful - that have disregarded their advice. And too often, laws are created as exceptions to those already established, exculpating the authors from any contrary opinion. This is a law, except when... or, unless you... is unacceptable.

Consider the claim that there exists "ominous signs of softness in Microsoft's strategy" for pursuing market share in major software applications categories external to the operating system. At the time of their writing, Ries and Trout point to Microsoft's failure to wrestle the spreadsheet and word processing markets from leaders Lotus and WordPerfect (an example of the Law of Line Extension). Or, consider that "USA Today is the first national newspaper, but it is unlikely to succeed". Time has indeed been cruel to the prophecies of Ries and Trout.

Criticism aside, many good ideas are presented throughout the text, however, at an average of only 6 pages per chapter, few get the recognition they deserve. The Law of Focus (read: positioning) is good advice whereby a firm should own a particular word or phrase in the mind of a customer. But, it would follow that extending a product line to include different items not captured under the firm's "buzz word" could be detrimental to either the new product or the whole firm. Yet, we see Microsoft as a modern-day example to the contrary (and, of course, Microsoft has no catchy buzz word anyway). Perhaps the authors would consider Microsoft a candidate for the Law of the Category - an example of a firm competing in a market they have solely created. At this point, however, applying immutable laws to the problem seems as difficult as correctly guessing the perfect conclusion to a "Choose Your Own Adventure" novel.

For a laugh, the keen reader will notice the four pages of praise that preface the actual content. On five occasions, different individuals make the exact same generic statement, "The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing is the best book on marketing I've ever read". If there was a Law of Repetition, this book would nail it down (but, there isn't). Whether an amazing coincidence or publisher error, this sets the tone for the rest of the book. If you can't nail the details or correctly predict the application of your laws in practice, don't expect your readers to buy into the theory.

Although two of the greatest modern marketing minds, Ries and Trout have written a tale destined only for the lowest-common denominator. Many of their other works, most notably, "Positioning", are far more comprehensive in their attention to detail and ability to effectively persuade. Too many unfulfilled (or simply wrong) prophecies make this book an "immutable" candidate for the half-off shelf at your local bookstore.

Joshua A. Gerlick