Template:Short description Template:Infobox person
John Francis "Jack" Trout (January 31, 1935 – June 4, 2017) was an American advertising executive and an owner of Trout & Partners, a consulting firm. He was the founder and pioneer of positioning theory and also marketing warfare theory.
CareerEdit
Trout started his business career in the advertising department of General Electric. From there he went on to become a divisional advertising manager at Uniroyal.<ref name="nytobit">Template:Cite news</ref> He then joined Al Ries in the advertising agency and marketing strategy firm where they worked together for over twenty-six years.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
He was the founder and president of the international marketing strategy firm "Trout and Partners". The firm is represented in offices in many countries worldwide including emerging markets.<ref name="Tulsa">Template:Cite news</ref> Trout worked with a number of different client companies, including AT&T, Apple, Citicorp, General Electric, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Pfizer, Procter & Gamble, Southwest Airlines, and Xerox. When working with pizza chain Papa John's, Trout was majorly involved in the invention of the chain's slogan "better ingredients, better pizza."<ref name="Tulsa"/>
In the fall of 2002, Trout began working with the United States Department of State in order to "train new diplomats in the art of projecting a positive image of America overseas" as a part of the Brand America campaign, which sought to improve public opinion about the upcoming Iraq War.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Trout died of intestinal cancer at his home in Old Greenwich, Connecticut, at the age of 82.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
FamilyEdit
He was survived by his wife Patricia, their six children and 15 grandchildren, and four siblings.<ref name="nytobit"/>
BooksEdit
- Template:Cite book<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Template:Cite book<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Template:Cite book<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Template:Cite book<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
With Steve Rivkin
- Template:Cite book<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Template:Cite book<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Template:Cite book<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Template:Cite book
With Al Ries
- Template:Cite book<ref name="Tulsa"/>
- Template:Cite book<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Template:Cite book<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>