# All Marketers Are Liars

- Author: Joichi Ito
- Date: 2005-04-15T11:27:35Z


Seth Godin sent me a a copy of his new book, All Marketers Are Liars. It's excellent. As usual, it's very provocative and typical Seth Godin. In a way, it's like Cluetrain Manifesto written by someone who speak Madison Avenuese. He writes about how people buy products because of stories and how these stories fit into their worldview. The products and people behind the stories have to be authentic, but people pay for these stories. These stories sell the products, not facts about the products. Most of these stories are not completely true. It reminds me of my Moleskine notebook which has a story that I know isn't really true, but I love the story. My Macintosh is also the same. I know Apple is suing a blogger and has DRM all over iTunes, but for some reason, I still believe the story that they're on my side. (For now.) He also writes about the end of the advertising "message" and that you can't control the story. You don't know where your customer will touch your product/company and get their first impression. Every part of your company has to be authentic and resonate with the story.

The book reminds me of Don't Think of an Elephants by George Lakoff which is about how the Republican Party is successful at telling their story because it fits the frame / worldview of their voters.

Interestingly, Seth is telling a pretty strong story that I believe doesn't fit the worldview of many of the marketers he is talking to. I hope they believe his story. ;-)

He has a blog about the book called Liar's Blog for the book.





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#### Categories

Books, Marketing