Translator's Note / 40th Anniversary Preface

Entering
1.
What is positioning?
2.
Attack on the mind
3.
Entry into the mind
4.
Little Ladder of the Mind
5.
The destination cannot be reached from the current location.
6.
Positioning as an industry leader
7.
Pursuer's positioning
8.
Repositioning against competitors
9.
The power of a name
10.
The Trap of Meaningless Names
11.
The trap of free riding
12.
The Pitfalls of Line Extension
13.
When line extension is effective
14.
Corporate Positioning: The Case of Monsanto
15.
National Positioning: The Case of Belgium
16.
Product Positioning: For Milk Dose
17.
Service Positioning: For Mailgram
18.
Long Island Bank's Positioning
19.
Positioning of the Catholic Church
20.
Positioning yourself and your career
21.
Six Steps to Success
22.
The right positioning game

Two marketing experts spread the word around the world
A Groundbreaking Communication Strategy: Positioning

Modern society is over-communication.
A vast amount of information is pouring out from various media, and the public selects and consumes various pieces of information.
Companies obsessed with pursuing profits worry about effective communication to ensure that their products are chosen.
"What must I do to make my product popular with customers?" For a time, companies in the past were stuck in the simplistic mindset that the only solution was a "good product" or a "different product."
The real change came in the latter half of the 20th century when the concept of 'positioning' emerged.

'Positioning' is a communication strategy that establishes a 'position' in the minds of potential customers.
Rather than focusing on providing the best product or service, we focus on injecting and maintaining the right message into the consumer's mind.
Rather than simply inserting new information into the customer's mind, it is important to manipulate various contents in the person's head to achieve the desired effect.
This positioning concept has become even more important in modern times, intertwined with the question of 'what kind of product sales strategy should be established in the age of information overload?'

The two marketing strategists who were the first to emphasize this concept were Jack Trout and Al Ries.
In 1981, they compiled the concept of positioning into a book of the same name, drawing on their extensive practical experience and meticulous analytical skills.
Since then, as the amount of information has exploded and the value of communication has increased, "Positioning" has become a must-read for all modern people.


'Win or lose is already decided by positioning.'
The 'Must-Win' Know-How for Everyone, from Businesses to Individuals

In this book, the two authors explain the value and effectiveness of positioning with numerous examples.
Real-world examples of products, brands, companies, or individuals fill almost every page.
The protagonists and their stories are diverse, including Avis, which acknowledged its second place in the rental car industry and returned to profitability, IBM, which tried to challenge the copier market but failed, and politician John McCain, who proved the publicity benefits of anonymity.
These abundant examples are the greatest strength and attractive point of this book.

According to the authors, companies must consider their own strengths and weaknesses as well as those of their competitors when considering their positioning.
And you must strive to be the first to enter the minds of your potential customers and become a leader in your field.
It goes without saying that we must devise and implement a strategy to avoid being left behind by latecomers.
However, if you are pushed out, you must develop a different strategy than the leader.
You need to find areas that are barren in the consumer's mind or reposition your competitors to create a niche.
In this positioning process, it is important to avoid the traps of so-called "meaningless names," "free riding," and "line extensions."
The authors caution against using initials to create meaningless names to shorten complex and long names, hoping to ride the hype of a leader product to achieve success again, or hastily using existing product names for new products.
The wit and sense that the two authors frequently display between the lines makes this warning even more persuasive.

In the latter part of the book, the authors explain in chapters how positioning can be effective across various categories, including companies, countries, products, and services.
And finally, he argues that positioning can be applied to each of us individually.
Their message is to define who you are, not be afraid to make mistakes, choose the right name, avoid the trap of line extensions, and make good use of your company, your boss, your friends, your ideas and beliefs, and even yourself.


With a sensuous format and a special preface by the author
40th Anniversary Special Edition

"Positioning" has been widely read worldwide for the past 40 years, establishing itself as a timeless marketing bible.
The revised edition, published in 2001 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the book, also received a great response, especially the comments added by the authors as footnotes along with the illustrations, which appealed to young readers.
Here, the two authors openly discuss how market conditions changed between 1981 and 2001, whether their judgments were right or wrong, and what their outlook is for the future.

The 40th anniversary special edition coming out this time is a special project that will only be carried out in Korea.
In the past, the format was adjusted to be almost square to respect the original text, thereby increasing portability, and the design of the additional comments in the revised edition was changed to blend naturally with the original text.
This could be considered a form of 'positioning' to appeal to the younger generation in line with the current publishing industry trends.
Above all, the special preface written by author Al Ries for this Korean edition further enhances the value of this special edition.
In the preface, he expresses his unwavering confidence, saying, “Forty years have passed since ‘Positioning’ was first published, but its principles remain valid.”
As the basis for this confidence lies in the content itself, which is both persuasive and entertaining, the impact of this book as a "canon of advertising and marketing" will continue into the future.


It's amazing how a book published so long ago still has so many applications.
This book is of great help to marketers, managers, and even ordinary individuals.

- Yes24 Reader Reviews

As I read the book, I was amazed by the authors' foresight.
A must-read for anyone studying marketing and advertising!
- Kyobo Bookstore Reader Reviews