The New Pillars of Marketing (for 2026 and beyond)
Marketing hasn't REALLY changed since the beginning of humans exchanging goods for money. People see you have a thing, and if they need that thing, the potential for them to buy it from you is created.
And we've still got those classic 4P's at work: Product, Price, Place and Promotion (although a LOT of people these days are only focusing on that last one).
And there are a multitude of books that have been written about marketing along the way, about rules to break and laws to follow; one of my favorites being The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Al Ries & Jack Trout.
But what if those intepretations aren't empowering us into the future?
What if, they are based on OLD paradigms that perhaps existed in the 80's and 90's, but that don't exist anymore? And what if SOME of them still hold, but others don't? Or what if they CAN hold, but only if they're interpreted under the right mindset?
This is where #marketing gets complex.
But there IS a way for it to be simpler.
So today, I'm taking a look at the old laws within our current market trends to see which of them hold, which we should get rid of, and what NEW pillars can better support us going forward into 2026 and beyond.
Shall we?
What's Broken
Let's start with what's broken. Why? Because that's precisely what we DON'T want to be bringing with us into the future.
The Law of Duality: this law states that, "in the long run, every market becomes a two-horse race". And while I'm sure we can all think of examples where this is true (Coke vs. Pepsi), there are continually MORE examples where it's not. Let's look at Tesla and electric cars. Tesla created the category, and while they owned it for a while, there are now MANY different electric-only brands. AND, most (if not all, I'm not really a car person) of the historic car brands have SOME kind of electric vehicle on the market. This has become a MANY horse race, and assuming that your competitors will stop at ONE, especially now with the cost of market entry in many category so low, is folly.
The Law of Division: this law states that, "over time, a category will divide and become two or more categories". But similar to the rigid framing of the Law of Duality, this assumes that category-splitting is mechanical. Sure, the human brain loves a black and white scenario, we forget that, as marketers, we DON'T decide what box people put us in. We can influence it of course, but because we can't think people's thoughts, there's not way to PREDICT what the split will be. So, while division will likely occur, so too will categories BLUR and MERGE. And probably a series of other "mash-ups".
The Law of Success: this law states that, "success often leads to arrogance, and arrogance to failure". Although, can anyone point out some examples of arrogance still seemingly creating success? I think a lot of us can. And hopefully in the long run that's not true, but this law also brings the focus to Ego vs. meaningful awareness. So, really the learning here is to understand WHY success often leads to arrogance, and how to re-program THAT mindset.
The good news is that only 3 of the 22 Immutable Laws have become flawed. Which means, it should be pretty easy to let go of those. But, like we all know, humans letting go of "the way we've always done it" is easier said than done.
But if possible, let's let THESE ones go, and focus more on what continues to work.
What To Keep
OK, so there are 19 Immutable Laws left. And if you want to, you can learn more about them by picking up the book. But the problem here is the volume...19.
What marketing team can INTENTIONALLY keep 19 things in their head to focus on?
If don't know about you, but I can't.
But what if all those Immutable Laws fell into some more general pillars that we COULD hold intentionality around?
Probably a lot easier, right?
So, according to me (and only me), here are what I believe are 4 major pillars that make up the remaining laws (plus the 4P's). Take a look. Feel free to throw them out if you don't like them (or can come up with some of your own). All of that is a practice in #authenticity 😉
Pillar #1: A Dedicated Purpose
A Dedicated Purpose is the anchor that keeps your marketing from drifting into noise, mimicry, or busywork (none of us have ANY of that in our marketing functions, right?)
And while it does include your WHY (thanks, Simon Sinek), who you serve (you already have an ICP for that), and all the other Vision, Mission, Values work you've done, it's focus is really on the meaningful difference you intend to make; so every decision, message, and action becomes intentional instead of reactive.
When your purpose is dedicated (and, even better, strong), you open the door to stop chasing trends and start building your own momentum; momentum that compounds over time.
There are a variety of the 19 remaining laws that align; relating to clarity, focus, and long-term discipline. They include:
The Law of Focus: owning one word = clarity of purpose
The Law of Sacrifice: choosing what not to do = purposeful boundaries
The Law of Line Extension (as a warning): line extension = drift away from purpose
The Law of Failure: staying true to purpose = learning from failure
The Law of Perspective: long-term purpose > short-term moves
The Law of Resources: making money by doing YOU > marketing something
Remember, purpose is about identity and discipline. It allows us to stay grounded, focused, and committed. And, since we only have to focus on 1 thing instead of 6, that focus becomes infinitely easier.
For the 4P's: A Dedicated Purpose grounds all four P’s in meaning rather than mechanics. It helps you shape a Product that actually matters, set a Price that reflects real value, choose Places that reach the right people, and craft Promotion that feels aligned instead of forced (and not to the detriment of the Law of Resources). Your Purpose ensures the 4P’s aren’t just functional; they’re aligned and intentional 💖
Pillar #2: An Explorer's Mindset
An Explorer’s Mindset is the antidote to stagnant, formulaic marketing (none of which we have either, right?) It invites curiosity, experimentation, and the willingness to ask, “What might be possible?” instead of defaulting to what’s always been done; especially by others who came before you who weren't trying to accomplish what you are.
One of the main keys here is that Explorers don’t fear uncertainty. They use it as fuel, uncovering insights, opportunities, and unexpected pathways that others overlook because they’re too focused on the map instead of the terrain.
To go back to the laws, let's look at which ones reinforce curiosity, adaptability, and readiness for the unknown:
The Law of Unpredictability: the future is not knowable → stay exploratory
The Law of Acceleration: following meaningful trends > following hype
The Law of Hype: there is more to explore behind how things seem on the surface
The Law of Attributes: find the counter-intuitive insight that you can own
The Law of Singularity: experiment to discover the one move that matters most
Remember, Explorers don’t cling to certainty; they detect patterns, test ideas, and follow real signals. And if we can stay focused on THAT, we don't have to divide our attenttion between different marketing laws.
For the 4P's: An Explorer’s Mindset evolves the 4P’s from static decisions into living experiments. It encourages you to test Product ideas, explore creative Pricing models, experiment with new Places or channels, and treat Promotion as an ongoing curiosity-driven discovery. Explorers use the 4P’s as a playground, not a checklist 💡
Pillar #3: Your Personal Brand
Your Personal Brand is the human lens through which people experience your marketing. It’s the story you embody, the energy you bring, and the credibility you build through consistency, integrity, and expression. If you were looking at your business as a human that entered a room, this is the lens we're talking about.
When you understand and lead with who you truly are—instead of who the industry tells you to be—your marketing becomes magnetic, trustworthy, and unmistakably yours.
The cool news? There are a BUNCH of laws that relate to perception, meaning, and mental positioning, including:
The Law of the Mind: the story you occupy in people’s minds is a human one
The Law of Perception: personal brand perception > product perception
The Law of Exclusivity: your uniqueness and differentiation come innately from YOU
The Law of Leadership: being first in a narrative > being second (or third...)
The Law of the Category: carving your own lane = personal brand identity
The Law of Candor: authenticity = a personal (and professional) advantage
Remember, a personal brand is the human-level equivalent of “positioning,” but done with authenticity rather than manipulation. That and, a business brand doesn't EXIST without the personal brands of it's employees, which is a huge contributing factor to making marketing work.
For the 4P's: Your Personal Brand adds the human dimension to the 4P’s. It influences how your Product is perceived, elevates the emotional value behind your Price, shapes where (and how) you show up in Place, and makes your Promotion recognizable and trustworthy. Your personal brand turns the 4P’s into an expression of who you are.
Pillar #4: A Head's Up View
A Head’s Up View is the practice of lifting your eyes from tactics and to-do lists to see the bigger picture; the patterns, shifts, signals, and relationships that shape your marketing landscape. It’s strategic awareness in motion: reading the room, sensing timing, understanding position, and recognizing when to adapt.
Marketers who keep their heads up make smarter decisions, create more relevant work, and avoid the costly trap of operating with blinders on; many of the definitions of Crazy, STUPID Marketing.
So, which laws involve awareness, strategy, competitive dynamics, and situational intelligence?
The Law of the Ladder: the value of knowing your actual position in the landscape
The Law of the Opposite: the value of having strategic awareness of your environment
The Law of Leadership: the value of being able to read the category landscape
The Law of Perspective: the value in seeing long-term patterns (and which affect you)
Remember, a Head’s Up View means you’re not staring at your own feet; you’re reading the room, the market, and the wider landscape. And while it's not about having your "elbows up" to defend against something, it IS about awareness of what's going on around you.
For the 4P's: A Head’s Up View ensures the 4P’s stay strategically connected to the real world. It helps you sense whether your Product fits the market, whether your Price reflects positioning, whether your Place aligns with shifting habits, and whether your Promotion is relevant to the moment. It keeps the 4P’s adaptive, contextual, and future-aware, which is what keeps YOU alive in the market.
Whew! Still with me?
Well, that was a deeper dive than we normally go with these articles, but coming into the end of 2025, I think it's worth it.
Because now is the time to only take forward what will serve us in 2026.
And if ALL of the marketing things continue to add to your mental clutter instead of clarity, then perhaps simplicity is what you're looking for✨
If you'd like to talk specifics about how an Authentic Marketing Advisor can make YOUR marketing simpler in 2026, let's chat!
