This Is Marketing audiobook cover - You Can't Be Seen Until You Learn to See
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This Is Marketing

You Can't Be Seen Until You Learn to See

Seth Godin

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Marketing & Sales

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Key Takeaways from This Is Marketing

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Mind Map

This Is Marketing
The Shift in Marketing+
Fulfilling Deep Desires+
The Target Audience+
Value Positioning+
Cultivating a Tribe+
Creating Tension & Status+
Reaching the Mainstream+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8
Why does the traditional 'Coca-Cola method' of mass advertising no longer work as effectively today?
  • A. Consumers have developed a strong resistance to purchasing mass-produced goods.
  • B. The internet has fractured mass culture and split the public's attention across thousands of niches.
  • C. Television networks have significantly increased the strictness of their advertising regulations.
  • D. Modern marketing executives lack the massive budgets required to flood the airwaves.
Question 2 of 8
According to the text, what is the primary drawback of highly targeted internet advertising?
  • A. It is nearly impossible to measure the exact return on investment for online ads.
  • B. Social media platforms heavily restrict how precisely you can target specific demographics.
  • C. Because every company has access to these tools, consumers are bombarded and tend to ignore the ads.
  • D. It is much more expensive to run targeted social media ads than traditional television commercials.
Question 3 of 8
What is the underlying marketing lesson of Theodore Levitt's 'quarter-inch drill bit' example?
  • A. Marketers should focus heavily on the technical specifications of their products to stand out.
  • B. The best marketing campaigns highlight the physical durability and reliability of a tool.
  • C. Consumers ultimately buy products to fulfill deep-seated emotional aspirations, like safety or respect.
  • D. Products must be perfectly manufactured and tested before any marketing campaign begins.
Question 4 of 8
When launching a new product, why should marketers initially target 'adopters' rather than 'adapters'?
  • A. Adopters have significantly more disposable income than adapters.
  • B. Adapters are resistant to change and prefer familiar, proven ways of fulfilling their desires.
  • C. Adopters are less likely to complain if a product has early manufacturing defects.
  • D. Adapters only purchase products that have been heavily discounted.
Question 5 of 8
How did the Grateful Dead successfully position themselves in the music market to build a die-hard following?
  • A. By spending millions on traditional mass media advertising to reach the general public.
  • B. By appealing directly to 'adapters' who exclusively wanted mainstream pop radio hits.
  • C. By staking out the safest, middle-ground musical values to avoid alienating casual listeners.
  • D. By embracing a unique combination of opposite extremes, offering both sprawling live jams and polished studio albums.
Question 6 of 8
What marketing mistake did JCPenney CEO Ron Johnson make that caused sales to drop by over 50 percent?
  • A. He removed coupons and clearance sales, which were essential symbols that resonated with his tribe's worldview.
  • B. He shifted the entire marketing budget from television to unproven internet SEO strategies.
  • C. He tried to appeal exclusively to tech-savvy 'adopters' by introducing high-end smart clothing.
  • D. He raised prices to match luxury brands without improving the actual quality of the merchandise.
Question 7 of 8
How can a marketer effectively create tension for a tribe member whose status approach is motivated by 'domination'?
  • A. By sending signals of popularity and belonging, such as celebrity endorsements at launch parties.
  • B. By sending signals of winning and conflict, such as boldly taking on local governments or competitors.
  • C. By offering deep discounts and coupons to prove they are getting the best possible deal.
  • D. By emphasizing the sustainability, safety, and ethical sourcing of the product.
Question 8 of 8
How do 'network effects' help a product transition from an initial fan base to the general public?
  • A. By utilizing a network of television channels to broadcast the product's message to a mass audience.
  • B. By making the product increasingly valuable and useful as more people start using it.
  • C. By relying on professional networking events to secure large corporate contracts.
  • D. By artificially restricting the supply of the product to create a viral sense of exclusivity.

This Is Marketing — Full Chapter Overview

This Is Marketing Summary & Overview

This Is Marketing (2018) begins with a provocative premise: the landscape of marketing has dramatically shifted in the past few decades, but we haven’t updated our thinking about it accordingly. Our mental model still places advertising at the center of the marketing universe – but in the age of the internet, that no longer makes sense. A new philosophy is needed.

Who Should Listen to This Is Marketing?

  • Marketing mavens looking for new ideas and inspiration
  • Marketing skeptics waiting to be won over to the discipline
  • Marketing opponents wanting to protect themselves against manipulation

About the Author: Seth Godin

Seth Godin is a successful entrepreneur, educator, writer and speaker on the topics of marketing and leadership. He has founded two companies, Squidoo and Yoyodyne, and he has written 18 books, which include The Dip, a New York Times best seller, and Purple Cow, which sold more than 150,000 copies and went through 23 printing runs in its first two years. He has led a number of marketing workshops, seminars and courses, and he also maintains Seth’s Blog, which is as popular as it is self-descriptive.

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