You're either a Purple Cow or you're not. You're either remarkable or invisible. Make your choice.
What do Starbucks and JetBlue and KrispyKreme and Apple and DutchBoy and Kensington and Zespri and Hard Candy have that you don't? How do they continue to confound critics and achieve spectacular growth, leaving behind former tried-and true brands to gasp their last?
Face it, the checklist of tired 'P's marketers have used for decades to get their product noticed -Pricing, Promotion, P... (show more)
You're either a Purple Cow or you're not. You're either remarkable or invisible. Make your choice.
What do Starbucks and JetBlue and KrispyKreme and Apple and DutchBoy and Kensington and Zespri and Hard Candy have that you don't? How do they continue to confound critics and achieve spectacular growth, leaving behind former tried-and true brands to gasp their last?
Face it, the checklist of tired 'P's marketers have used for decades to get their product noticed -Pricing, Promotion, Publicity, to name a few-aren't working anymore. There's an exceptionally important 'P' that has to be added to the list. It's Purple Cow.
Cows, after you've seen one, or two, or ten, are boring. A Purple Cow, though...now that would be something. Purple Cow describes something phenomenal, something counterintuitive and exciting and flat out unbelievable. Every day, consumers come face to face with a lot of boring stuff-a lot of brown cows-but you can bet they won't forget a Purple Cow. And it's not a marketing function that you can slap on to your product or service. Purple Cow is inherent. It's built right in, or it's not there. Period.
In Purple Cow, Seth Godin urges you to put a Purple Cow into everything you build, and everything you do, to create something truly noticeable. It's a manifesto for marketers who want to help create products that are worth marketing in the first place. (show less)
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As I was reading this, I couldn't help but wonder how many really talented CMOs lost their jobs because their President or CEO read this book and k... (show more)
As I was reading this, I couldn't help but wonder how many really talented CMOs lost their jobs because their President or CEO read this book and knew just enough to be dangerous.
I really enjoyed the fresh thinking and approaches Seth advocates. But as with any books of this ilk (e.g., Blink ... I don't need research and data, I'll just "blink" all my decisions) the danger is that people start running around discounting the wisdom gained over time.
For example, Godin is very black-and-white is discounting any and all mass media -- especially television. Yet, for many, wise use of this media clearly still makes sense.
That said, there is a lot of fresh thinking here that -- when paired with knowledge and wisdom gained over time -- could be very powerful. My reading of this book was long overdue, and I am glad I finally checked it out. (show less)
Quite a while back I read Seth Godin's "The Big, Red Fez" for adding a small dose of marketing to web design. It was good. I don't think he had 1... (show more)
Quite a while back I read Seth Godin's "The Big, Red Fez" for adding a small dose of marketing to web design. It was good. I don't think he had 125 pages worth of message in this book. (show less)
I really enjoyed this book. Great ideas for marketers and entrepreneurs on how it's not how much you spend on advertising - it's WHAT you are advertising. Find a way to be "remarkable", be a Purple Cow in some way, some aspect, and you'll be on your way to beating the rest of the market.
Also, the book kept proving it's point by the reactions that people would have to it once they saw me reading a book entitled "Purple Cow". They would laugh, or make a remark, and...mor... (show more)
I really enjoyed this book. Great ideas for marketers and entrepreneurs on how it's not how much you spend on advertising - it's WHAT you are advertising. Find a way to be "remarkable", be a Purple Cow in some way, some aspect, and you'll be on your way to beating the rest of the market.
Also, the book kept proving it's point by the reactions that people would have to it once they saw me reading a book entitled "Purple Cow". They would laugh, or make a remark, and...more I really enjoyed this book. Great ideas for marketers and entrepreneurs on how it's not how much you spend on advertising - it's WHAT you are advertising. Find a way to be "remarkable", be a Purple Cow in some way, some aspect, and you'll be on your way to beating the rest of the market.
Also, the book kept proving it's point by the reactions that people would have to it once they saw me reading a book entitled "Purple Cow". They would laugh, or make a remark, and thereby were captivated by the title and packaging of the book to ask questions and find out more about the product. The Purple Cow literally was remarkable enough to get people interested in it, just by the act of seeing me read a book entitled "Purple Cow". (show less)
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Not always sure that Seth can be taken seriously when he concentrates on visual prompts to his concepts (I think the purple cow is a good one – but I tired of it as the book progressed).
BUT I have read and re-read Purple Cow a number of times, and will probably continue to do so.
After the initial first read, it’s takes me an hour or so to go back through it – and that’s an hour well spent considering it always inspires me.
Great to have such a vibrant reminder of the power of trying so... (show more)
Not always sure that Seth can be taken seriously when he concentrates on visual prompts to his concepts (I think the purple cow is a good one – but I tired of it as the book progressed).
BUT I have read and re-read Purple Cow a number of times, and will probably continue to do so.
After the initial first read, it’s takes me an hour or so to go back through it – and that’s an hour well spent considering it always inspires me.
Great to have such a vibrant reminder of the power of trying something new, and how marketing is a management process which is best utilised at early planning stages, rather than just at the promotional stage.
After being stuck in the car in the weekend rush last Friday, and therefore having to rely on Chris Evans to keep me amused, I’d moved on to the ‘yellow car’ rather than the purple cow … (show less)
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