WHY WE LOVE IT:

In the 21st century, every business is a technology company, because every business depends on technology. And just so, every business is a marketing company, because they all depend on marketing. Seth Godin’s classic marketing tome, Purple Cow, is not a guidebook on how to market your services or products. There is no “right” approach to marketing – no easy answer. Godin acknowledges that consumers are overwhelmed with choices and information in the digital age, and that it is difficult to stand out in the crowd. If your company doesn’t make an effort to differentiate itself – to tell a unique, compelling, and personal story – your marketing is unlikely to be successful.

Maybe you offer a great product. It’s not the first – not the cheapest, not the easiest, but it’s a solid product at a good price with a great feature set. With so much competition, you might wonder how to create a niche and stand out on Google and Social Media. Seth Godin’s examples of successful companies – what makes them, and what breaks them, offer concrete examples of how to build your brand. He breaks down how product and marketing intersect, with the clear message that the product is what determines whether the marketing is successful – not the other way around. It’s a good reminder that in the Western business world, we must differentiate ourselves based on the quality of our services and products, first and foremost.

FAVORITE QUOTES:

“If a product’s future is unlikely to be remarkable – if you can’t imagine a future in which people are once again fascinated by your product – it’s time to realize that the game has changed. Instead of investing in a dying product, take profits and reinvest them in building something new.” – Seth Godin

“If times are tough, your peers and your boss may very well say that you can’t afford to be remarkable. After all, we have to conserve, to play it safe; we don’t have the money to make a mistake. In good times, however, those same people will tell you to relax, take it easy; we can afford to be conservative, to play it safe.” – Seth Godin

BOOK JACKET SUMMARY:

Few authors have had the kind of lasting impact and global reach that Seth Godin has had. In a series of now-classic books that have been translated into 36 languages and reached millions of readers around the world, he has taught generations of readers how to make remarkable products and spread powerful ideas.

In Purple Cow, first published in 2003 and revised and expanded in 2009, Godin launched a movement to make truly remarkable products that are worth marketing in the first place. Through stories about companies like Starbucks, JetBlue, Krispy Kreme, and Apple, coupled with his signature provocative style, he inspires readers to rethink what their marketing is really saying about their product. In a world that grows noisier by the day, Godin’s challenge has never been more relevant to writers, marketers, advertisers, entrepreneurs, makers, product managers, and anyone else who has something to share with the world.