When a really new product comes along, it's almost always a mistake to hang a well-known name on it. The reason is obvious. A well-known name got well-known because it stood for something. It occupies a position in the prospect's mind. A really well-known name sits on the top rung of a sharply defined ladder. The new product, if it's going to be successful, is going to require a new name. New ladder, new name. It's as simple as that.

To get into the consumer's mind, you have to sacrifice. You have to reduce the essence of your brand to a single thought or attribute. An attribute that nobody else already owns in your category.

Positioning is not what you do to a product. Positioning is what you do to the mind of the prospect.

What's your brand? If you can't answer that question about your own brand in two or three words, your brand's in trouble.

The most powerful concept in marketing is owning a word in the prospects mind.

The best way to make news is to announce a new category, not a new product.

The Internet is the ultimate in brand-centered buying.