BRAND is a four letter word: Positioning and The Real Art of Marketing - Hardcover

McGhie, Austin

4.13

55 ratings by Goodreads

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1599323273 ISBN 13: 9781599323275

Publisher: Advantage Media Group, 2012

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In this breakthrough book, marketing expert Austin McGhie urges readers to set aside their obsession with “branding” and instead focus on the real work of marketing: positioning. In fact, McGhie believes there’s no marketing problem or opportunity that can’t be framed as a positioning exercise. He argues that brands are a marketplace response, not a marketer’s stimulus; if that response from the audience is simple, clear and on strategy, marketers can build a brand.

Drawing on his 30-year career working with some of world’s best-known brands, including Disney, ESPN, Nike, Google, Visa, Expedia, Best Buy, Microsoft, Anheuser-Busch, Abbott and YouTube, McGhie tackles the strategic essence of positioning and creating differentiated advantage. He deftly weaves the positioning discussion throughout the book with a series of real-life anecdotes to deliver a crisp, clear view of what it means to build a brand. McGhie has written a practical book that will guide and inspire marketers and in turn help them guide and inspire their audiences.

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From the Back Cover:

Creating a world-famous brand is easy: First, create a killer product. Next – read Brand is a Four-Letter Word to get an idea of the kind of very hard (but very rewarding) work you’ll need to do to really make your mark on the marketplace. There may be no shortcuts on this journey, but this book is the road map.
-- Daniel H. Pink, author of DRIVE and A WHOLE NEW MIND

Austin McGhie deftly proves that, despite its ubiquitous presence in culture today, the word branding is the least understood word in the business of branding. From his 'Opening Rant' to the brilliant 'User's Guide to the User's Guide,' Brand Is A Four Letter Word is an immediate mustread for anyone interested in understanding the real business of positioning and business strategy.
--Debbie Millman, author of Brand Thinking and Other Noble Pursuits, President Emeritus of AIGA and Chair of SVA Masters in Branding

You might wonder why I would write a foreword to a book that often uses words and ideas that I’ve written many books about over the past thirty years. Words like “Positioning”, “Differentiation” or “Simplicity”. In many ways it’s d�j� vu all over again. But I’ll tell you what I like about Austin’s work and why it’s worth reading. He’s written an angry book about what isn’t happening in the marketing world. “Positioning” and “branding” are widely popular words that everyone tosses around but few really understand. If you doubt this, just look at the corporate wreckage in recent years. Just look at the silly advertising that often runs on television. Just look at Wall Street encouraging companies to do stupid things. Look at the short lived tenure of chief marketing ofcers. To me it’s time to get angry and restate what many overlook or just don’t get about building a differentiated brand. These are lessons that can’t be repeated too often. So read on.
-Jack Trout, Global marketing expert and author

About the Author:

Austin McGhie is the president of Sterling Brand's Strategy Group. Throughout his thirty-year career, he ran marketing departments, sales forces and advertising agencies before slowly coming to the realization that he was really only good at strategy. Austin fervently believes that there is no marketing problem or opportunity that can't be framed as a positioning exercise. Austin's team at Sterling Brands works with some of the top marketers in the world, including Disney, ESPN, Nike, Google, Visa, Expedia, Best Buy, Microsoft, Anheuser-Busch, Abbott Labs and YouTube. Austin travels too much, but when he's home he lives in Northern California's Marin County with his wife, two children and dog. Back in the day, he was "almost good enough" to play professional soccer. Having recently ridden his bike 100 miles a day to cross the country, you can usuallyfind him riding up the nearest hill.

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