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Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable Hardcover – May 12, 2003

by Seth Godin (Author)

4.5 3,645 ratings

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The classic bestseller that taught the business world that safe is risky; very good is bad; and above all, you're either remarkable or invisible

In 2002, Seth Godin asked a simple question that turned the business world upside down: What do Starbucks and JetBlue and Apple and Dutch Boy and Hard Candy have that other companies don't? How did they confound critics and achieve spectacular growth, leaving behind formerly tried-and-true brands?

Godin showed that the traditional Ps that marketers had used for decades to get their products noticed-pricing, promotion, publicity, packaging, etc.-weren't working anymore. Marketers were ignoring the most important P of all: the Purple Cow.

Cows, after you've seen one or two or ten, are boring. A Purple Cow, though . . . now that would be something. Godin defines a Purple Cow as anything phenomenal, counterintuitive, exciting . . . remarkable. Every day, consumers ignore a lot of brown cows, but you can bet they won't ignore a Purple Cow.

You can't paint your product or service purple after the fact. You have to be inherently purple or no one will talk about you. Godin urges you to emulate companies that are consistently remarkable in everything they do, which drives explosive word of mouth.

Purple Cow launched a movement to create products and services that are worth marketing in the first place. Now this expanded edition includes dozens of new examples from readers who've taken the message to heart.

Print length

145 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Portfolio
Publication date

May 12, 2003
Reading age

18 years and up
Dimensions

5.26 x 0.73 x 7.42 inches
ISBN-10

159184021X
ISBN-13

978-1591840213
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The world is changing ever more rapidly, and the rules of marketing are no different, writes Godin, the field's reigning guru. The old ways-run-of-the-mill TV commercials, ads in the Wall Street Journal and so on-don't work like they used to, because such messages are so plentiful that consumers have tuned them out. This means you have to toss out everything you know and do something "remarkable" (the way a purple cow in a field of Guernseys would be remarkable) to have any effect at all, writes Godin (Permission Marketing; Unleashing the Ideavirus). He cites companies like HBO, Starbucks and JetBlue, all of which created new ways of doing old businesses and saw their brands sizzle as a result. Godin's style is punchy and irreverent, using short, sharp messages to drive his points home. As a result the book is fiery, but not entirely cohesive; at times it resembles a stream-of-consciousness monologue. Still, his wide-ranging advice-be outrageous, tell the truth, test the limits and never settle for just "very good"-is solid and timely.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Seth Godin is the worldwide bestselling author of Permission Marketing, Unleashing the Ideavirus, and Survival is not Enough. He is a renowned public speaker, has started several successful companies, and is a contributing editor at Fast Company Magazine.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Portfolio; 1st edition (May 12, 2003)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 145 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 159184021X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1591840213
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 18 years and up
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.8 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.26 x 0.73 x 7.42 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #603,097 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #80 in Product Management

Customer Reviews:
4.5 3,645 ratings

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Seth Godin

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Seth Godin is the author of 20 international bestsellers that have been translated into over 38 languages, and have changed the way people think about marketing and work. For a long time, Unleashing the Ideavirus was the most popular ebook ever published, and Purple Cow is the bestselling marketing book of the decade.

He worked as a year as the volunteer founding editor of The Carbon Almanac, and his recent bestsellers also include The Practice and This is Marketing.

He's a recent inductee to the Marketing Hall of Fame, and also a member of the Direct Marketing Hall of Fame and (go figure), the Guerrilla Marketing Hall of Fame.

His book, Tribes, was a nationwide bestseller, appearing on the Amazon, New York Times, BusinessWeek and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists. It's about the most powerful form of marketing--leadership--and how anyone can now become a leader, creating movements that matter.

His book Linchpin came out in 2008 and was the fastest-selling book of his career. Linchpin challenges you to stand up, do work that matters and race to the top instead of the bottom. More than that, though, the book outlines a massive change in our economy, a fundamental shift in what it means to have a job.

In addition to his writing and speaking, Seth was founder and CEO of Squidoo.com,. His blog (find it by typing "seth" into Google) is the most popular marketing blog in the world. Before his work as a writer and blogger, Godin was Vice President of Direct Marketing at Yahoo!, a job he got after selling them his pioneering 1990s online startup, Yoyodyne.

He's known as a pioneer in online education, and was the founder of the altMBA.

You can find every single possible detail that anyone could ever want to know at sethgodin.com

Customer reviews

3,645 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Customers say

Customers find the book useful and great. They say it offers insights, an honest education, and unique ideas that change their thinking. Readers say the book is worth the price and share-worthy. However, some find the pacing boring and underwhelming.

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Readability Enlightened content Ideas Value for money Ease of application Pacing

130 customers mention "Readability"123 positive7 negative

Customers find the book useful, funny, and great. They say it's easy to read and doesn't read like a textbook. Readers also mention the message is worth the three hours it takes to read it.

"Quick read and great idea!" Read more

"...Yet, its message is worth the three hours it will take to read it...." Read more

"...Seth knows how to market his books and this one is no exception. It will do well. Is this book better than the many other books on marketing?..." Read more

"Good read. Got me thinking." Read more

109 customers mention "Enlightened content"104 positive5 negative

Customers find the content enlightening. They say it offers a refreshing and honest education on how you can build your business. Readers appreciate the good message, concept, and principles on how to present yourself and your product. They also mention the book is a basic and foundational sales and marketing read for anyone in business today.

"...It will spark you to try harder, search deeper, and expand your reach much farther than you had originally anticipated...." Read more

"...The book is filled with insightful examples and practical advice on how to create products and services that are truly unique and memorable...." Read more

"...There are many ways to stand out, I like how this book has a few case studies and explains how these companies stood out and dominated a sometime..." Read more

"...Every business owner or employee should have a copy. The book is filled with new insights on how to be better and discover one's "purple cow"... and..." Read more

46 customers mention "Ideas"35 positive11 negative

Customers find the book full of unique ideas that will change the way they think. They say the concept is compelling and gets them thinking outside the box. Readers also mention the book is creative and full of stories that help inspire them.

"Quick read and great idea!" Read more

"...practical advice on how to create products and services that are truly unique and memorable...." Read more

"...You must develop products and services so useful, interesting, outrageous, and noteworthy that your niche market will want to listen to what you..." Read more

"...The other says the book is shallow and void of original ideas. Both are right...and wrong.The main idea of the book is spot on...." Read more

15 customers mention "Value for money"11 positive4 negative

Customers find the book worth the price. They say it's a great buying experience and share-worthy.

"...Its a good read and worth the price." Read more

"...The information contained in this book provides lots of value and it can help any business do better...." Read more

"...The stories are poorly written and add no value. Buy the book - but buy the bargain ones without the bonus chapter." Read more

"...Once you apply it, totally worth it. A must read." Read more

10 customers mention "Ease of application"7 positive3 negative

Customers find the book easy to pick up and put down. They also appreciate the size and format.

"...5 stars, and a quick easy, concrete, authentic read. In fact, I read it twice." Read more

"...Easy to follow and easy to apply.Buy and put into practice." Read more

"...But lacking in practical suggestions and framework." Read more

"A potent reminder that what makes us different, is also our strength. An easy and thought-provoking read." Read more

13 customers mention "Pacing"3 positive10 negative

Customers find the pacing of the book not very interesting, underwhelming, and a waste of time. They also say the content doesn't seem earth-shattering or actionable.

"...Just kind of average and underwhelming. But it does have some value as inspiration...." Read more

"...However, it did leave me wanting. There was really no actionable content. It basically tells you to be different, to be remarkable." Read more

"This book is ok. Not bad by any means, but the content didn't really seem earth shattering. Nonetheless, it's an easy read and i learned some things." Read more

"...It just means that the slogan is good for a different reason. It used to be the slogan was good because it fit the 30 second commercial sound bite...." Read more

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Deborah R.

Great message about standing out from the crowd!

Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2024

Verified Purchase

Quick read and great idea!

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Corrynn Cochran

A Must Read for Marketers

Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2020

Verified Purchase

Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable by Seth Godin.

First published in 2003, and again in 2005, and again in 2019, The Purple Cow resonates with aspiring and seasoned marketers alike for it’s timeless message; BE REMARKABLE. Seth Godin is a champion of the marketing industry, making a name for himself by selling his marketing firm to Yahoo for 30 million dollars and then becoming their vice president of direct marketing. At the same time he began writing marketing books, to which Purple Cow in only one of many. Yet, its message is worth the three hours it will take to read it. Whether new to marketing or refreshing your ideas, you’ll want to consider the bullet points Godin has to offer within these pages.

When Godin speaks, people listen. This book is primarily base on his personal opinion and therefor scrutinized, yet it holds major weight for those individuals about to jump into the melting pot of marketing that Godin so wittingly has mastered.

Out with the old, in with the new. Marketing has evolved, according to Godin, and innovation is the key to success. He believes it would be a waste of energy to focus on products and services that already exist for the masses. Developing new products or services for a market that is not saturated but small and specific is the new key to success. His message is throttling innovators forward with the idea they must put extreme amounts of effort into standing out from the crowd. He provides multiple case studies of companies that have done so, such as Starbucks, and Dutch Boy Paint. His examples shed light on a different way of thinking that is so inspiring! It will spark you to try harder, search deeper, and expand your reach much farther than you had originally anticipated.

If you are dealing with attempting to re-spin an old idea into a new one, he uses the example of Dutch Boy, the painting company who changed the idea of the paint can, making it so much more user friendly than the old one that the companies’ sales went up, their distribution broadened, and their retail price instantly increased.

Godin’s approach to advertising leaves some weary of his methods. He believes television ads are in the stone ages and Internet banners are a complete waste of time. He has the statistics and the experience to back it up. His ideas stray from the typical mass media approach and hone in on investing in an idea and then spreading that idea to particular individuals that will find it remarkable, interesting, and a must have. This foreign concept seems like the long game to me, finding people to like a product, try it and then tell their friends, takes time. Yet Godin offers streamlined examples of how this can be done. Influencers on Instagram suddenly made much more sense. The entire format of Instagram and how it caters to like-minded individuals who feed off of each other’s ideas and inspiration is an absolute gold mine for what Godin proposes. It makes perfect sense. I would also gather, that the folks disagreeing with the value of this book may not be fluent in the social media formats younger generations have now grown accustom.

Godin sheds light on subjects not otherwise considered unless you’ve already read some of his other books in which case his ideas are similar and reiterated. He’s a master of marketing, and this book contains keys you might not otherwise have considered. Learn as much as you possibly can to succeed, explore every option at your disposal, and the remarkable will be within reach! 5 stars, and a quick easy, concrete, authentic read. In fact, I read it twice.

15 people found this helpful

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Y B

Good book

Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2024

Verified Purchase

Thought provoking. A bit outdated.

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Jan L Green

A little outdated, but solid information

Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2024

Verified Purchase

This book does make you think about what your selling and making changes to what you're doing. I recommend it with the caveat that it was originally written in 2002 and the products and companies that are shared have changed, Best Buy being one of them. They achieved success, but the local Best Buy near me is now an outlet and I don't expect it to survive the current economy.

Helpful

mrbillsales

All you need to know about differentiating yourself or your company

Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2024

Verified Purchase

I'm a sales trainer and I used this book as the foundation of my training. I even wear a purple shirt when I train to support the importance of the lesson learned here. Definitely a must read if you're in sales or marketing.

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Susanna Hutcheson

A Bit of a Replay for Seth & Nothing New to the Ad Pro

Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2003

Verified Purchase

The essance of this book is quite simply to make your business unique, make it stand out, and start people talking about it --- recommending it to others. The idea isn't new but it's good to read it again.
Simply put, Seth reminds the reader to not be boring. To not be invisible and not even to be "very good" but rather to be remarkable. He says that people don't talk about or recommend "very good" products or services; that they expect very good. But people do talk about "remarkable" products or services. That's probably true and I tend to endorse that thought.
Furthermore, Seth claims that television marketing (among other types of advertising) is quite dead, thank you. He says that the old, established companies like P&G and General Mills made their names and sold their products with television advertising and that we still buy from old ads we saw thirty years ago. In other words, the Wheaties we bought because Billie Jean King was on the box still keeps us buying Wheaties today. (Whether BJK was on a box of Wheaties or not I don't know. But I can dream that a woman made the cover of the great cereal at least once in those days.)
Well, there's a dab of truth in that. But just a dab. Television still sells a ton of stuff. Granted, some of the ads are very bad. Some are cute and win awards but they don't win customers for the ad agency's clients. Television and radio and Internet advertising are not dead, however.
Now having said all that, I do agree with Seth when he says that to succeed today most businesses must be remarkable. But, unfortunately, that doesn't mean you can't have a bad product and still succeed.
Microsoft is known for its poor products and shoddy security but it's a rich, successful company while software companies with far finer products are struggling. Ah, but a Microsoft is admittedly the exception.
Seth knows how to market his books and this one is no exception. It will do well. Is this book better than the many other books on marketing? Is it unique or does it give new information? Not really.
One of the books on advertising that was a hot seller a number of years ago said that a product or service didn't have to be great to be a success. It just had to be "good enough". So who is right? Do you have to be remarkable or just good enough?
Well, you tell me. This book will make Seth some nice change. Maybe he'll go to France again on what he earns from it. Is it remarkable or just good enough? Well, it's good enough that it interested me sufficiently to buy it. It's good enough that I got a few ideas from it. But it's not remarkable enough that I'll give it five stars and suggest you run out and buy it.
Susanna K. Hutcheson
Executive Copy Director and Owner
Powerwriting.com LLC

15 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

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chris

Un incontournable de Seth Godin

Reviewed in France on June 30, 2024

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Seth Godin nous offre une masterpiece sur le marketing qui invite les entrepreneurs à se démarquer dans un monde de plus en plus saturé et sans réelle innovation majeure (hormis l'IA maintenant...)

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Christopher

Valuable book, easy to read and very impactful.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 9, 2023

Verified Purchase

Seth Godin has always been a bit of a distant mentor for me. This book started it all!

Ronald Carvalho

Marketing prático com charme

Reviewed in Brazil on January 13, 2021

Verified Purchase

Uma aula prática de bom Marketing. Útil e agradável de ler. Nota 10

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ravid

Birlant as always. How to Marketing.

Reviewed in Germany on December 4, 2022

Verified Purchase

Highly recommended to markets, founders, entrepreneurs, business people, product people and more.

How to rethink marketing.

To the point as always, Seth.

Guia Online Music

Very good book for sales and marketing

Reviewed in Spain on October 10, 2022

Verified Purchase

Very good book for sales and marketing, good ideas and pills to transfer to small business. And above all, he insists throughout the book that you have to be different and creative. Recommended.

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