April 26, 2005
The 5 Marketing Plays
Just a short post to point out that we've updated the entries on the plays to show the illustrations from the book. Kinda helps visualize what we're talking about:
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December 02, 2004
The Right Marketing for the Right Play
At the same Ignition offsite, a recurring theme among CEOs was the importance of not only simplicity but also consistency across the organization. So several folks also asked "OK so I've chosen my play, that should keep my strategy simply, but what does that imply in terms of the marketing decisions on down the organzation, how do I keep these consistent?"
They asked for a quick summary of the standard implications of each chosen play on the key marketing elements. It's also in the book, but here's a reprint:
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The Right Play for the Right Field
Yesterday Ignition had one of it's regular portfolio company CEO offsites. One of the key themes for CEOs was the importance of making the complex simple. This time we introduced the playbook and used it as a means to driving that simplicity in reviewing and discussing each company's strategy (or play) and it's marketing. Really sparked some stimulating discussions. Great CEOs call clear, simple plays.
Anyway, amongst other things there were frequent requests for a summary of the best conditions, pros, cons, i.e. decision criteria for each play. It's in the book, but what the heck, here's a reprint:
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May 11, 2004
The High-Low Play
This Marketing Play is basically the opposite of the Best of Both Play. Here, instead of offering a combination that collapses the extremes of a category, you emphasize the importance of choice. You offer both extremes, no compromises and a migration path between them.
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The Best of Both Play
Best of Both is an ambitious Marketing Play. Many product and services categories have both high and low end offerings - and never the twain shall meet. In Best of Both you aim to gain dominance the whole category by collapsing both high and low ends into a new more compelling offer. You winning by offering "your cake and eat it too."
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Stealth Play
This Marketing Play is almost the opposite of the Drag Race. When you run stealth you are trying to avoid getting squished by the competition. Generally you focus on a specific niche where you can build your strength unnoticed. You often add-on, peacefully coexist and even draft behind the would-be biggest competitor(s), avoiding dragraces completely. Until you have what it takes to move onto another more open and larger play.
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The Platform Play
In this Marketing Play you rise above the competition, or even coopt them. Instead you win by becoming a Platform from which a whole industry can win too. You win by making it easy and profitable for others to ally with you and painful for them to let you loose.
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The Drag Race Play
The Drag Race is simple. In this Marketing Play you pick one competitor to compare yourself to and then you put all you have into beating them across the finish line.
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The 5 Marketing Plays(tm)
You will hear us refer to specific Marketing Plays a lot in this blog. We've found in examining and dealing with marketing problems over the years that there are really only five basic strategies or Marketing Plays to fit all situations you face: the Drag Race, the Platform, Stealth, the Best of Both, and the High-Low. These form the core of the Marketing Playbook we use all the time.Posted by johnza at 06:18 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
