Summary of A.G. Lafley & Roger L. Martin's Playing to Win

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book.

Sample Book Insights:

#1 By the late 1990s, it was clear that PG needed to win in skin care. Skin care constitutes about a quarter of the total beauty industry and has the potential to be highly profitable. Oil of Olay was struggling. It wasn’t PG’s only skin-care brand, but it was by far the largest and best known.

#2 PG invested in the SK-II brand, Cover Girl, Pantene, Head Shoulders, and Herbal Essences. The company bought Wella and Clairol to create a position in hair styling and color.

#3 The company was able to redefine what anti-aging products could do. It began selling higher-end, more prestigious products in a traditionally high-volume environment. It attracted consumers from both the mass and prestige channels.

#4 Olay needed to look and feel the part. The packaging had to represent an aspiration, but also effectively deliver the product. Pricing had to be just right – not too high for mass consumers, but not too low for prestige consumers.