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

by Austin McGhie

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.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction

288 pages, Hardcover

First published April 15, 2012

About the author

Before turning thirty-five, Austin McGhie led a CPG marketing and sales team and a top advertising agency. Since then, he has successfully gotten older, run two more agencies, and built a nationally recognized marketing strategy business from the ground up before selling it to a global communications company. Today, he and his business partner, Alpa Pandya, happily run a small but mighty marketing strategy consulting business, somewhat appropriately named Find Difference. Along the way, Austin has advised clients such as Kellogg’s, Disney, Boeing, Nike, ESPN, NBC, YouTube, Levi Strauss, Westin, Amazon, Facebook, Visa, and Unilever.

Austin splits his time between San Francisco and Bodega Bay, with his wife, JJ, and their dog, Chili, surrounded by his beautiful and strongly opinionated nuclear family. In addition to participating in a host of writing and speaking engagements, Austin is the “almost-bestselling” author of “BRAND Is a Four Letter Word: Positioning and the Real Art of Marketing.”

Reviews

[Michalyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is solid book on branding that moves beyond the usual hype. I thought the last third of the book seemed less rich and was somewhat repetitive but I liked Mc Ghie's approach overall. His main message is that "brand" is a market response and not a verb. So in some ways your brand is out of your hands but positioning is not. Most of the book is focused on how to effectively position oneself.

As with many of these books by marketers who have been in the game for some time, the references to the old school of marketing were the most opaque. I've never known a world in which a company could have a captive television audience or where social media were not a reality, so these examples seemed weird.

Still, a pretty easy substantive read. I can definitely see myself going back to specific chapters for a refresher.

[Robert Bogue · Rating 4 out of 5]

On one hand I don’t expect my audience to be trying to brand a company and in that sense I expect that some of my reading on marketing is uninteresting. On the other hand, I realize that many of my readers are trying to brand intranets or are working with clients that are branding intranets. Not having a solid understanding of marketing can be frustrating as the marketing department will try to convince you that something is essential – when there’s no research to support that position. This has led more than one of my colleagues to exclaim four letter words while working on branding and that’s why I believe Austin McGhie’s book Brand is a Four Letter Word is so appropriate.

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[Abby A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the layout and short chapters...gave great advice with practical, real-world examples and scenarios. Quick read and worth it!