Al Ries is Chairman of Ries & Ries, an Atlanta based marketing firm that has done strategic work for many major corporations around the globe. He is widely recognised as one of the world's leading experts in marketing and has written a number of best-sellers about the subject.With a wealth of experience Al shows decision makers how to develop business strategies to transform any product or service into a world-class brand. He shows why companies need to narrow the focus in order to own a category in the consumer's mind and how to build an Internet brand.
Al Ries attended high school in Harvey, Illinois, he then joined the Merchant Marines and later the US Army where he served in Korea. Upon his return, Al attended and graduated from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana with a degree in liberal arts in 1950. After school, he accepted a job in the advertising and sales promotion department of General Electric in Schnectady, New York.
In 1955, Al joined Needham, Louis & Brorby in New York City as an account executive (and later vice president) on the Worthington and Peugeot account. In 1961, he joined Marsteller, Inc as an account supervisor and in 1963, he founded his first advertising agency Ries Cappiello Colwell in New York City. In 1972, Al Ries (with Jack Trout) wrote a three-part series of articles on 'positioning' for Advertising Age magazine. In 1979, the agency's name was changed to Trout & Ries Advertising with Al as Chairman.
Eight years after the original positioning articles were published, Al Ries (with Jack Trout) wrote his first book entitled 'Positioning: The Battle For Your Mind' published in 1980. 'Positioning' has become an industry classic, with estimated sales of over one million books. It is one of the best selling advertising books of all time. In 1999, Al was named one of the 100 most influential public relations people of the 20th century by PR Week magazine. He also was profiled in Business Week magazine.
Al Ries is a brilliant marketing strategist and an experienced speaker in great demand around the globe by decision makers eager to benefit from his considerable expertise.
