Ries and Ries' 1998 book "The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding" was quickly established itself as a seminal contribution to the field of marketing. Here I summarize its main points and explore whether it is still relevant today.
After reading "The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding" again recently, I was stuck that where the authors put forth 22 laws of branding, I found only 9 among those that seem distinct enough to warrant the status of being a distinct law. The rest seem to just be spinoffs of those first 9. So first, here is my brief summary of Ries and Ries' 9 (rather than 22) immutable laws of branding. Note: I paraphrase some of the original law names and all of the descriptions listed here.
The 9 Immutable Laws of Branding:
1. The Law of Expansion: The thinner you try to spread your brand across multiple products or product categories, the more diluted and weaker it gets.
2. The Law of Publicity: It is publicity, not advertising, that builds a brand. Advertising just serves to maintain the brand.
3. The Law of the Word: Try to associate your brand name with one, single word or concept, but no more. Keep a singularity of focus on this one association in the minds of your customers ..
4. The Law of Credentials: Being the first-to-market or the largest seller gets more customers than just telling people you are the best.
5. The Law of the Category: Promote your whole category, not just your own brand.
6. The Law of the Name and Logo: In the long run, your name is all you have. Avoid generic names and be sure your logo is pleasing to the eye. Be mindful of the colors you use to symbolize your brand in the context of your competition.
7. The Law of the Company: Remember that your company name is not necessarily equivalent to your brand. Be mindful of this when creating your campaign.
8. The Law of Borders: Keep your brand consistent when going global.
9. The Law of Consistency: Brands are not built overnight and no brand will live forever. So be consistent through time.
Relevance of the Book Today: Even today, Ries and Ries' book is definitely still a great read for those new to branding or who want a quick refresher. Their book is very well-organized and a very quick read. Clearly, it was seminal at the time in that it got people thinking about what makes a strong brand.
I take issue with only two aspects of the book. One is, as I mentioned, I really only spotted 9 laws that were spread out into 22 laws to make for a longer book. I do not blame the authors for this: maybe their publisher made them do it to fill up more pages.
The other issue is that I Do not agree that there are really any "immutable laws" in business, but rather only very strong tendencies. The Internet has changed the landscape so much, even since 1998. And, even putting the paradigm-changing Internet aside for a moment, history shows us that the only constant is change. After all, business is a social phenomenon rather than a physical or chemical one.
Still, "The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding" is definitely recommended reading for small and large businesses alike trying to increase their bottom lines through building stronger brands.
