Being a Purple Cow

Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable

a Book Review by Seth Godin, No-Tears Marketing 04/10 enhanced by Peter/CXO Wiz4biz 7/13

The Purple Cow is truly an “extra-ordinary” book in itself. Once I started reading, I could not convince myself to put the book down. New ideas immediately started to emerge from my imagination and I was inspired to document some marketing strategies for my own “extraordinary Purple Cow” ideas.

Capturing the Ideas. As I read through the book, I could not help but have a Notebook (paper not PC) handy were I would jot down a couple of ideas & concepts for my own future business. If you are like me, and enjoy reading inspiring, but also practical, applicable (and proven) literature that fuels you and guides you in your own life/work; this book will be a delight for you to read as well.

Getting “Purple” Attention. The book itself catches the eye as a peculiar purple addition amongst the hundreds of other fictional business books: completely dressed to stand out amongst the clutter. Therefore, it is already claiming unique attention in a field that has almost exhausted all possible unique selling propositions.

The 4 Ps of Marketing. Seth Godin makes the statement that traditional well-known marketing P’s (Product, Pricing, Promotion, Positioning, Publicity, Packaging, Pass-along and Permission) “just aren’t enough” any more. There is a need for a new “P”, an “exceptional P” called the “Purple Cow”.

Comparison to the Old is bold. The book explores the methods of old “worn-out” marketing strategies in comparison to a new exceptional and more “daring” technique of marketing: creating a “Purple Cow”.
“Cows, after you’ve seen them for a while, are boring… A Purple Cow, though. Now that would be interesting. (For a while)”

You must be Remarkable !!! Seth goes on by stating that: “The essence of the Purple Cow is that it must be remarkable.” The book focuses attention on the traditional ways of marketing: especially on the TV-industrial complex which grabbed the attention of all marketers & advertisers. Commercials became the main stream medium for successful advertising and created memorable impacts on viewing consumers. He does, however acknowledge the selling successes that some brands/companies managed to achieve by utilizing TV to create memorable brand commercials. Those brands will ultimately always be associated with the initial, original TV commercials that left a lasting first impression (before commercial advertising became over-saturated). BUT: times have changed, consumers are being bombarded with information & advertisements of different brands trying hard to interrupt them and appeal to their existing needs & emotions.

How does a brand manage to grab attention in a society were:

(Continued in next Premium Content + Niche Marketing, Creating a Purple Cow and much more . . .