Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article is written like an advertisement. Please help rewrite this article from a neutral point of view. For blatant advertising that would require a fundamental rewrite to become encyclopedic, use {{db-spam}} to mark for speedy deletion. (July 2009) |
 |
This article's tone or style may not be appropriate for Wikipedia. Specific concerns may be found on the talk page. See Wikipedia's guide to writing better articles for suggestions. (July 2009) |
 |
The neutrality of this article is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved. (July 2009) |
 |
This article needs references that appear in reliable third-party publications. Primary sources or sources affiliated with the subject are generally not sufficient for a Wikipedia article. Please add more appropriate citations from reliable sources. (January 2008) |
Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable is a book by Seth Godin.[1] In it, he suggests that marketing as we have known it, dominated by what he refers to as the TV-industrial Complex churning out products to meet the market's need, and television advertising directing people to these products, is broken. The book claims that we have now moved into an era where markets are largely satisfied, and that to be noticed a product and its marketing need to be remarkable to be seen at all, let alone to sell.
Contents |
[edit] Analysis
The book consists of general concepts interspersed with practical examples. The theory starts with the presumption that marketing as we know it is broken, and that the only way now to gain attention in a market is to not only market a product in a remarkable manner, but also to have a remarkable product to market. Godin gives examples of products and marketing programs that have been remarkable, but indicates that it is no use copying these directly. He says, "Today, the one sure way to fail is to be boring. Your one chance for success is to be remarkable."[2]
Godin wraps the concept up in a Ten Point Checklist that sets out how to create a Purple Cow. This checklist is general enough to be applied to creating a product or a marketing program that is remarkable. However, the book is just a starter for thinking; the innovation to create a Purple Cow still lies with the reader.
[edit] Marketing and Sales
Purple Cow was itself marketed through many of the techniques that Godin details in his book. The first, self-published edition came packaged in a milk carton and was sold for just shipping and handling charges. The cover is purple and white, and the words are printed sideways.[3]
In the book's first two years of release, it sold more than 150,000 copies over the course of 23 printings.[4] According to the publisher, the sales were almost entirely due to word of mouth.[4]
[edit] References
- ^ Godin, Seth. Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable. Portfolio. ISBN 1-59184-021-X.
- ^ fastcompany.com
- ^ DiNardo, Kelly (2003-07-14). "Witty book shares secret for success: Be remarkable". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/money/books/reviews/2003-07-14-purple-cow_x.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-25."
- ^ a b Hogan, Ron (2005-05-16). "How to Succeed in Business (Books)". Publishers Weekly. http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA601439.html. Retrieved 2008-05-20. "... the two-year-old title has more than 150,000 copies in print after 23 printings"
