All Marketers Are Liars

infobox Book
name = All Marketers Are Liars
orig title =
translator =


image_caption =
author = Seth Godin
cover_artist =
country = United States
language = English
series =
subject =
genre = Marketing, Business, Non-fiction
publisher = Penguin Group (USA)
release_date = 2005 (USA)
media_type = Print (Hardcover & Paperback)
pages = 186 p. (US hardcover edition)
isbn =
preceded_by = Free Prize Inside!: The Next Big Marketing Idea
followed_by = The Big Moo : Stop Trying to Be Perfect and Start Being Remarkable

"All Marketers Are Liars: The Power of Telling Authentic Stories in a Low Trust World" (2005) is the seventh published book by Seth Godin, andthe third in a series of books on 21st century marketing, following "Purple Cow" and "Free Prize Inside".cite news
last = Godin
first = Seth
title = Review: All Marketers Are Liars
publisher = 800 CEO READ
date = May 23, 2005
url = http://800ceoread.com/blog/archives/005700.html
accessdate = 2008-05-20] [ [http://www.amazon.com/dp/1591841003 Amazon.com] All Marketers Are Liars: The Power of Telling Authentic Stories in a Low-Trust World]

Background

Godin said the inspiration came to him when he "watched the Democrats lose the [United States presidential election, 2004|election [in 2004] ." [http://www.helloworldblog.com/2005/05/business_blog_b.html Business Blog Tour: Seth "Pinnocchio" Godin] on HelloWord, May 24, 2006.] He stated that although both candidates told lies, the candidate that won told the more believable lie. [cite news
last = Bloom
first = Jonah
title = Authenticity, not perfection, is key to reaching consumers
publisher = Advertising Age
date = March 21, 2005
url =
accessdate = 2008-07-13 Both candidates, he said, were telling lies, but the candidate that won told the more believable lie -- that he was a strong, certain, infallible leader."] In particular, he noticed Karl Rove's ability to tell a story, noting that he's a "very good liar."

Description

All Marketers Are Liars uses examples from areas such as organic products, the Good Year Blimp, and Cold Stone to illustrate the power of marketing an authentic story. From the book jacket:

"All marketers tell stories. And if they do it right, we believe them. We believe that wine tastes better in a $20 glass than a $1 glass. We believe that an $80,000 Porsche Cayenne is vastly superior to a $36,000 VW Touareg, even if it is virtually the same car. We believe that $225 Pumas will make our feet feel better--and look cooler--than $20 no names. . . and believing it makes it true."

Following his own lead, Godin's title for the book is a lie. He wrote in the introduction:

"I wasn't being completely truthful with you when I named this book. Marketers aren't liars. They are just storytellers... I was trying to go to the edges. No one would hate a book called All Marketers Are Storytellers. No one would disagree with it. No one would challenge me on it. No one would talk about it." [ Godin, Seth "All Marketers Are Liars" pgs 15, 134 ]

Press and reviews

Before its publication, All Marketers Are Liars was serialized in Fortune Magazine. [cite news
last = Godin
first = Seth
title = Be a Better Liar
publisher = Fortune Magazine
date = May 1st, 2005
url = http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fsb/fsb_archive/2005/05/01/8259747/index.htm
accessdate = 2008-05-20] It made the Amazon Top 100 bestseller list, and received press in the Miami Herald, the New York Times, and the Chicago Tribune. [ [http://www.sethgodin.com/sg/bio.asp About Seth] "All Marketers are Liars made the Amazon Top 100 and has been translated into more than a dozen languages."] Patcher, Richard. The Miami Herald. "The Miami Herald business book review." June 20, 2005] Brown, Paul. The New York Times. "How to Do the Right Thing? Count the Ways" May 8, 2005] Godin also launched a blog in support of the book, which was relatively rare at the time. [ [http://www.allmarketersareliars.com/ All Marketers Are Liars Blog] ]

References