Welcome back to 52 Weeks of Marketing Wisdom, where we review and recommend a new book weekly across five themes: Foresight, Customer, Strategy, Creativity & Innovation, plus two extras to complete the 52.
Our program is for busy marketing professionals seeking inspiration and growth through reading.
Rather than a simple review, we've evolved our blog posts to bring a point of view to the work and focus on how it informs what we do at Selbey Labs.
We are focus on Strategy for the next few weeks and this week we're looking at arguably one of the most influential books on strategy of the past few years; Playing to Win by Roger L. Martin and A.G.Lafley.
Hope you enjoy it.
Are you playing to win?
In the chaotic, ever-changing world of marketing, the word "strategy" is thrown around like confetti. Everyone claims to have one. "Our strategy is growth." "Our strategy is innovation." "Our strategy is brand building."
But here's the truth: those aren't strategies. They're aspirations. They're goals. They’re feel-good sound bites that make the boardroom nod but leave the execution team floundering.
This is where Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works by Roger L. Martin and A.G. Lafley stands out. It doesn’t just talk about strategy—it teaches you how to build one.
More importantly, it shows you how to make choices that drive results. For marketing professionals who live and breathe the tug-of-war between creativity and results, this book is a must-read.
Strategy Is About Choices, Not Goals
The book's premise is refreshingly simple yet profoundly effective: strategy is about making choices. Specifically, it's about deciding where to play and how to win.
Every marketing professional has heard the phrase “target audience,” but how often do we take the time to deeply and deliberately define where to focus our efforts—and where to let go?
Martin and Lafley argue that true strategy isn’t a laundry list of initiatives. It’s not about being everything to everyone. It’s about focus. It’s about trade-offs. And that’s where most marketers stumble. We’re so used to chasing shiny new platforms, trends, and audiences that we dilute our energy trying to cover every base.
I was told by a mentor many years ago that strategy was sacrifice. Those three words have guided my approach to strategic thinking ever since and it would seem that Roger L. Martin agrees.
What if, instead of chasing every fleeting opportunity, we ruthlessly prioritized the ones that aligned with a winning aspiration? That’s where *Playing to Win* comes in.
The Five Questions Every Marketer Should Answer
At the heart of the book is a five-question framework that strips strategy down to its essentials:
1. What is your winning aspiration?
This is the purpose. It’s not just about hitting KPIs or delivering ROI—it’s about defining what success truly looks like. For marketers, this could be: "We want to be the most trusted voice in sustainability for Gen Z."
2. Where will you play?
The marketing equivalent of this question is identifying your core target audience and platforms. Are you targeting TikTok-savvy teens, or are you doubling down on corporate decision-makers through LinkedIn? The clarity of "where" prevents wasted effort.
3. How will you win?
What sets you apart? Are you the fastest, the most creative, or the most genuine? Your point of difference must align with your audience’s unmet needs. This is where marketers craft a compelling value proposition.
4. What capabilities must be in place?
Do you have the team, tech, and processes to execute your strategy? Marketing professionals need to assess whether they have the tools (and talent) to match their aspirations.
5. What management systems are required?
How will you measure success? What checks and balances ensure your marketing efforts align with your strategy? Metrics, dashboards, and accountability mechanisms matter here.
This framework is deceptively simple, but its power lies in forcing clarity.
Most marketers never answer these questions explicitly. They jump straight into tactics—social media calendars, ad buys, partnerships—without laying the foundation for a coherent strategy. This book makes you stop and think before you act.
Lessons from Olay, Swiffer, and Febreze
The authors don’t just theorize—they ground their lessons in real-world examples. For marketers, these case studies are gold.
- Olay’s Transformation: By focusing on anti-aging products for women over 50 (a clear “where to play”), Olay redefined its value proposition and revitalized a struggling brand. It wasn’t about chasing every skincare trend—it was about dominating a specific niche.
- Swiffer’s Market Creation: Swiffer didn’t just compete in the cleaning market—it created a new one by addressing the unmet need for convenience. For marketers, this is a reminder that understanding consumer pain points can help you not only compete but redefine the category.
- Febreze’s Repositioning: Initially a flop, Febreze succeeded when repositioned as the “finishing touch” for a clean home. Marketing professionals can learn from this about the power of reframing how a product fits into consumers’ lives.
These stories show that winning isn’t about shouting louder or spending more. It’s about choosing smarter.
Why Trade-Offs Are the Secret to Great Marketing
Martin and Lafley stress a critical but often uncomfortable truth: strategy requires trade-offs. Marketers are often tempted to chase every platform, every demographic, every opportunity. But when you try to do it all, you spread yourself too thin to win anywhere.
The brilliance of *Playing to Win* lies in its insistence that you can’t be everything to everyone—and that’s okay. Instead, by saying no to distractions, you free up resources to dominate the areas that matter most. For a marketing professional, this might mean choosing to prioritize Instagram over Twitter or focusing on long-form storytelling instead of chasing viral trends.
Execution Is Where Strategy Lives (or Dies)
Here’s another insight that resonates deeply with marketers: the best strategy in the world is worthless if it’s not executed well. Martin and Lafley discuss the importance of aligning capabilities and systems to deliver on strategic choices. For marketers, this means having the right tools (like analytics platforms), the right team (creative and stategic), and the discipline to measure and adapt based on results.
The book also cautions against the “consensus trap.” Marketers often fall into the habit of trying to please every stakeholder, diluting bold ideas into bland compromises. *Playing to Win* is a reminder that real strategy isn’t about pleasing everyone—it’s about making the hard choices that lead to success.
A Playbook for Marketing Professionals
If you’re in marketing, you know how easy it is to get caught up in the daily grind—launching campaigns, managing budgets, tracking metrics. But without a clear strategy, all those efforts can feel like spinning wheels. *Playing to Win* provides a practical, actionable framework to ground your efforts in purpose and focus.
This book doesn’t just tell you how to compete—it teaches you how to win. And isn’t that what we’re all playing for? If you’re ready to stop being reactive and start being strategic, it’s time to pick up *Playing to Win* and start asking the five questions that will transform your marketing from good to great. Because in this game, playing isn’t enough—you have to play to win.
If you want to explore ways to apply this thinking to your brand, we'd love to help. Visit us at Selbey Labs.
Playing to Win, How Strategy Really Works A.G. Lafley and Roger L. Martin
