Just a reading reminder: Members of the MarketingProfs Book Club are one week away from chatting up our current featured book, The Origin of Brands, with famed authors’ Al and Laura Ries. So please join us. Get ready to discuss–and maybe even debate!–beginning next Tuesday, March 20th. Remember, during Book Club Group Review, any member can ask or answer a question and start a discussion thread.
What’s so great about this book? In a word: A lot. Oh wait, that’s two words–all the better, the book is just that good.
Debunking convergence strategy for failing to deliver, in The Origin of Brands, Ries & Ries illustrate how the strategy of divergence–vs. the much-hyped practice of convergence–is the catalyst for scores of success stories.
Their message for marketers? Brands, be they high-tech or low, diverge and go in many directions, spawning new brands and new brand categories. So professionals should focus less on producing fewer brands (that do more) and more on creating new brand categories (that specialize in doing less). If you missed the Q&A with Al & Laura when we opened this segment, just click here.
Particularly interesting is how last segment–in reviewing the book Citizen Marketers–we learned how a new medium produces opportunities to advance our brands; while in this segment, through The Origin of Brands, we’re learning how a new strategy advances our companies by producing opportunities to launch innovative brands (with far higher success rates).
What’s more? We increased membership by nearly 20% this segment–not too shabby, eh? Our new members continue to be located all over the map spanning New Orleans, Ontario, India, Italy, Indonesia, Australia and The Philippines. Now it’s time for me to get back to my book; as it would be very poor form for your host to show up to Group Review unread. Happy reading!
P.S.: Next Tuesday, March 20th, I’ll post instructions on Group Review right here at The Daily Fix Blog along with emailing all members. And yes(!), you can still sign-up to take part in this segment…you’ll just need to get your hands on a copy of The Origin of Brands, and have it read by next Tuesday.
Helpful links for members and the media:
I’m about halfway through The Origin of Brands now, and it’s very interesting. Love how the Ries seem to weave history lessons into their examples, always makes the reading more interesting!