Behind the Brand: 'This Is Strategy' by Seth Godin
With more than 20 bestsellers—including Permission Marketing, Purple Cow, Tribes, The Dip, Linchpin, This Is Marketing, The Practice, and now his newest, This Is Strategy—Seth Godin is, in my opinion, the most influential thinker and purveyor of inspiration for founders, freelancers, and philanthropists in the modern era. He’s also responsible for writing one of the most prolific blogs on the internet, with approximately 10,000 entries.
It may be impossible to calculate the wide reach and deep positive impact Seth’s work has had on people, but what do you expect from the person who gave one of the most popular TED Talks, “How to get your ideas to spread.”
Side note: In addition to his writing, Seth is a connoisseur and collector of fine chocolates. The last time I checked, he had a drawer in his office full of some of the most decadent and exotic chocolates from all over the world, but he limits himself to only consuming one piece per day at the most.
This level of hypervigilance has served him well and given Seth a particularly keen angle to spot problems and offer solutions to those who seek them. If you’ve ever wondered whether or not you’ve got the right strategy, you’re in luck. This is the place to find out.
Although strategy and goals are often used interchangeably, they are fundamentally different concepts in a world of constant change. While goals might outline what we want to achieve, strategy is how we plan to achieve it.
Unlike a rigid plan, the strategy must allow for flexibility. It should act more like a compass than a fixed map, providing a directionally correct route to success rather than insisting on a singular path.
This stands in contrast to the rigid structures and standardized paths often taught in traditional education. Seth argues that this approach doesn’t hold up in a world where conditions constantly shift.
“First you have to make the plan. I can’t guarantee the plan is going to work, but if you don’t even make the plan, you’ve got real trouble,” he emphasizes. “The plan is the assertion, which includes where are we going and how are we going to get there. There’s nothing wrong with changing your strategy, but you’re much better off changing your tactics. A good strategy doesn’t demand to be changed very often.”
Systems represent the invisible frameworks that guide behavior in any market or industry. They are the foundational structures—whether economic, cultural, or organizational—that determine how things function, often in ways that are hard to perceive until they resist change.
“The most famous system of all is the solar system,” says Goodin. “Why does the Earth rotate the sun? It’s not because it wants to. It’s because of gravity, an invisible force that keeps things the way they are. There’s a system of higher education. Why is Harvard or Yale famous? Why does a kid want to go to the University of Florida or wherever to see a football team play?”
He continues, “There’s this massive industry built on this tiny little kernel of an idea 400 years ago. But the system runs very deep. When you show up in Silicon Valley to raise money, you’re part of a system. When you build an Instagram page, you are part of a system. What is the system? Why is it there? Who benefits from it? Why will all the people in that system make a decision? If you can’t see the system and name the system, you’re just flying in the dark.”
Many years ago, Seth invested heavily in creating a DVD division for parenting guides—what seemed like an exciting new direction in publishing. But as he candidly recalls, the effort was ultimately doomed by a failure to understand the deeper system in which it operated.
“The book publishing system has been around for hundreds of years. And the thing is, book publishers care about bookstores. They don’t care about readers. They want to make bookstores happy. DVDs did not make bookstores happy. And if I had seen that, realized that, I never would have wasted two years of my life building a DVD division,” says Seth.
This insight is especially relevant for businesses navigating today’s technological changes, like AI. The systems that have governed search, social media, or e-commerce are being disrupted, but knowing how those systems are wired can help businesses find opportunities where others see only obstacles.
It’s a powerful reminder that underlying systems continually shape industries and influence customer behavior. Whether it’s the traditional publishing world or the emerging landscape of AI, understanding these forces can make or break a strategy.
This means going beyond flashy campaigns and focusing instead on building a culture that truly resonates with the people you aim to serve. In Seth’s view, culture isn’t just an add-on to strategy—it’s an essential part.
“Games are where we have limited resources and limited time, where there are players and rules, and where there are outcomes,” says Seth. “If we call them games, it’s much easier to not take it so seriously, to realize our moves might need to be better, but we are OK. We need to see who the other players are and what plays have worked in the past.”
In his view, games aren’t always fun, but the strategic interactions between market players—including competition, resource allocation, and the choices businesses must make—significantly affect outcomes.
For example, Seth highlights the story of Starbucks, which deliberately positioned itself away from Dunkin’ Donuts by creating an experience that allowed customers to sit and linger. This move differentiated Starbucks and helped it dominate the market.
According to Seth, the playbook to the game is understanding the rules and then deciding whether to play by them or redefine them: Are you racing to the bottom by competing solely on price, or are you playing a different game that focuses on value and customer loyalty?
As demonstrated in the stories of Dude Wipes, Hexclad, and even small-business owner Helene Godin, who walked away from a 22-year career in law to start a successful bakery called By the Way Bakery, it’s not always about being the biggest player. Sometimes it’s about making unconventional moves that allow you to play a different game altogether.