Revisiting the 22 Immutable Laws

The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing: Violate Them At Your Own Risk!

Even decades later, this work by world-renowned marketing consultants Al Ries and Jack Trout is a must-read for anyone in the marketing communications business (and I think it provides food for thought on the PR side as well). I can personally attest to the fact that it has enhanced my communications practice and aided in my success.

On the critical side, I think “immutable” is a greatly provocative adjective that helps to sell books. It is easy enough to gather up examples and scenarios that contradict the laws (like this guy did – and one could probably find examples to contradict his arguments as well).

I'd lean toward the term “indispensable” over “immutable”. We've simply witnessed too great a tidal change in how we communicate and interact with each other to say that things are the same and that all the same rules still apply, unchanged. I wouldn't encourage anyone to base their career on these laws, but I can (and do) encourage people to consider the core concepts presented and ask themselves how these laws may still apply to their current objectives. More often than not, I think you'll find there is benefit in contrasting these laws with your current strategies, and asking yourself if your current strategies are everything they should be.

You'd be amazed how many time Jude Law's picture showed up during an image search. (Image courtesy smlp.co.uk)

1) The Law of Leadership

• The law of leadership is convincing people that you are the first in a particular market

• It is easier to convince someone that you are first rather than convince them that you have a better product

• The leading brand in a category are usually the first in the mind of consumers

• People tend to stick with what they’ve got

• One reason why the first brand in a category is the best known is because it tends to become generic

• Marketing is a battle of perceptions, not products – if you are the first then you must be the best (even if your product is inferior, it is seen as being the best

In upcoming weeks, I'll be taking a look at the 22 Laws, and giving some thought as to what has changed . . . or not.