Differentiate or Die

By: Jack Trout, Steve Rivkin

Narrated by: Patrick Cullen

In today’s ultra-competitive world, the average supermarket has 40,000 brand items on its shelves. Car shoppers can visit the showrooms of over twenty auto makers. Differentiating products today is more challenging than at any time in history, yet it remains a key to a company’s survival.

In Differentiate or Die, best-selling author Jack Trout takes marketers to task for taking the easy route of high-tech razzle-dazzle and sleight of hand instead of marketing their product’s uniquely valuable qualities. He examines successful differentiation initiatives—from giants like Wal-Mart to tiny Trinity College—to determine why some succeed and some fail. The author outlines the many ways to achieve differentiation, while also warning of how difficult it is to achieve differentiation by being creative, cheap, customer oriented, or quality driven, things that your competitor can do as well.

Jack Trout is president of Trout & Partners, a marketing firm with offices in thirteen countries and a client list that includes AT&T, IBM, Sears, Merrill Lynch, and other Fortune 500 companies. He was the first to popularize the idea of “positioning” products in the minds of consumers. He is a sought-after speaker and the author of numerous marketing classics.

Steve Rivkin, the coauthor of The New Positioning and The Power of Simplicity, is head of his own communications consulting firm, whose clients include Kraft Foods, Olin Corporation, and Horizon Health System. He is based in Glen Rock, New Jersey.

©2000 Jack Trout (P)2001 Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic reviews

" Differentiate or Die differentiates itself on the groaning marketing bookshelf with its lucid prose, its clear vision of the future marketplace…and its sensible solutions for surviving the frenzied competition we’re sure to find there." (Dan Rather, CBS News)
"What I like about Differentiate or Die is the book’s emphasis on the power of logic, simplicity, and clarity—getting to the essence of a problem. In Silicon Valley, attributes like that can make the difference between having lunch and being lunch." (Scott McNealy, CEO, Sun Microsystems, Inc.)

Out dated..

Old info shows Maye ideas are not supported since most examples are out of business and no longer a market leader. Perhaps at the EMD of the book make reference to next book with explanation of why all the examples are now leaders or out of business. Ex. Nokia phones, toys are us, Sears, Montgomey Wards etc…

Content great narration not so much

The content was great even though some examples might be a little dated. I learned a lot as an entrepreneur and non- marketing person. The biggest issue with the book is the narration at normal speed will put you to sleep. Had to listen at 1.3 speed. I think it made the jokes funnier.

Dated references, but good book

The references in the book are very dated (Toys-R-Us, Nokia, Dell and dial-up internet providers). Looking back in the last several years, some things turned out accurate, and others not so much. Still a great book, solid content.

Good marketing book. Thank you.

This is a good marketing book that introduces many marketing concepts and as the title says it focuses on why you should be different and how. It mentions that you should never overly complicated your marketing message or contradict a customers mental schema why because people are simpletons who can't deal with information overflow....sad but probably very true. Push one simple idea of what the product/service offers. You should also specialize even if you are not a "specialist". I have often had simpletons ask me what my specialization is and instead of feeding them the crap that their mental schema wanted I told the truth and gave them complexities that their small brains could not deal with so I did not get the job or friendship because people just don't want the complexities and are not prepared to get to know the deeper you.These people are extremely important and time is money so become a good marketer and give them the crap that they desperately need.

Very relevant, crisp & well researched

I loved how the book clearly gives tools and outlines of what can create or dilute a differentiation advantage for a company. So relevant for todays times where we everyone has access of heaps of information and options at a click.. how do you stand out ?? Great grooming guide for what top strategy executives should keep in mind in their critical decision making process. A must read.

Very Informative book

I really enjoyed this book. It's a blueprint on how to give your brand the best chance to make.a good impression in the marketplace.

Very Dated

Although the ideas presented in the book are generally good, the examples used to illustrate the ideas are so dated as to be a distraction in many cases.

Dated and wrong about many things.

So there are definitely a few good points to gleam from this book. But the challenging thing for me is the author constantly uses his opinion about different businesses to justify what he is trying to teach you. Such as you should do this, business A is doing this and we think they will take over the market. But business B wouldn't listen to us and had not done this and we think they will fail. Now 20 years or so after this was written we can see what did our did not work. almost every single prediction the author states was wrong.

Great speaking voice, humor, knowledge on topic

Great book - gets kind of sloppy in the end chapters - not as thought provoking. Highly recommended

Excellent marketing book

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, it gives you with clear examples of everyday how marketing strategies succeed or not

Which scene was your favorite?

the last half of the book

Any additional comments?

at the beginning you feel the book is a bad book, but after the first quarter, you realize the book is a gem in marketing!