A Genie's Wisdom

Publishers Weekly

Many executives probably feel like they need a genie to explain the touchy-feely mysteries of aesthetics, design and consumer psychology that underlie so much of marketing. This short, breezy but informative primer can help. Marketing consultant Trout (Differentiate or Die: Survival in Our Era of Killer Competition) is skeptical of marketing buzzwords like "synergy" and "unique tags"-and indeed of the whole "creative" approach that tries to forge emotional bonds between brand and customer rather than communicate concrete ideas. Much of his advice, therefore, flies in the face of modern marketing wisdom: ads should emphasize verbal messages rather than "dramatic visuals" that "distract people from the message"; money spent on flashy corporate logos is often wasted; and high-falutin' consumer research techniques, such as focus groups and "ethnographic" studies of families in their suburban habitat, are often useless. Trout advocates simple, obvious, oft-repeated ads, preferably with rhyming slogans, to communicate a single "differentiating idea" that will distinguish a brand from all its competitors. His philosophy is a variant of the decades-old "unique selling proposition" approach to marketing, which tries to convince consumers of a brand's one-of-a-kind attribute (say, "won't dry your skin like other soaps") to justify its higher price. While not quite ground-breaking, Trout's easy-to-read update combines an acerbic take on contemporary marketing fads with a surprisingly thorough and practical guide to the subject for managers and "finance guys" who need to gain expertise. (Nov.) Copyright 2003 Cahners Business Information.