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To Catch a Mouse Make a Noise Like a Cheese
Book by Kornfeld, Lewis
349 pages, Paperback
First published May 28, 1991
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 26, 2022
This review originally appeared on Beyond the Frame. That review has more information and context.
The Adman Who Launched 1,000 Computers When No One Else Could
The Product
Lewis Kornfeld was an adman turned electronics executive at Radio Shack. His time as the company’s president from 1970-1981 was an era of tremendous growth. This period saw the introduction of two significant consumer hits for Radio Shack: citizens band radio and the TRS-80 personal computer. The TRS-80, announced on August 3, 1977 at New York’s Hotel Warwick, cemented Radio Shack as a force in early personal computing.
Being first on retail shelves nationwide puts Radio Shack in pole position ahead of Jack Tramiel, Chuck Peddle, and the folks at Commodore, Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and the folks at Apple, and William Lowe, Don Estridge, and the folks at IBM. It must be remembered that no one knew exactly what a mass market consumer would do with a personal computer in 1977. Consider the problem from Kornfeld’s perspective: “There were no known customers asking for [a personal computer]” therefore “it was impossible to identify typical buyers.” Its difficult to imagine now, but taking up valuable retail shelf space was a big risk.
Kornfeld rolled the dice in spite of the unknowns. “We had no opening order quantity set beyond what would be needed to buy parts economically, but not less than 1000 were being considered […] and since all we had was a very rough idea of parts and labor costs, a selling price had yet to be firmed up”
To Catch a Mouse Make a Noise Like a Cheese was an opportunity for Kornfeld to lay claim to this success. He asserts his claim to TRS-80 fatherhood in at least three different places.
Wherever Kornfeld’s place is in computer history, the benefit of having an adman steering the ship is pretty clear. Radio Shack sold a lot more computers than their contemporaries in the early days. The TRS-80 quickly became the best-selling personal computer and Radio Shack enjoyed a prime spot in computer sales throughout the 1980s.
The Technique
The book’s style is filled with folksy wisdom and clever turns of phrase. So much so that it’s actually quite difficult to read. Kornfeld’s view on computing is dry but his view on advertising is particularly colorful. Take the following example:
The wisdom of Kornfeld’s thought is apparent without the Gucci quip. While the reference adds color, too many of the references evaded my grasp and only distracted.
Kornfeld’s 65 rules of marketing are practical but they don’t really offer much insight. For example, number 4: “One of the quickest ways of learning what to do in any business situation is first to be able to observe it done correctly.” Number 63: “When opportunity knocks in an unusually loud manner, tear a hole in the wall and make it a second door.” On the other hand, his consistent skepticism of Madison Ave. admen is generally instructive.
The book contains approaches to marketing that transcends its era, but the book itself is not timeless. The most interesting aspects of To Catch a Mouse Make a Noise Like a Cheese concern the TRS-80 while Kornfeld’s other big hit, the CB Radio, is barely mentioned. Most of the book’s limitations are imposed by the style of the author. While I’m always happy to read someone with a distinct approach to writing, the weight of Kornfeld’s pen is a bit too heavy for my liking.
The Adman Who Launched 1,000 Computers When No One Else Could
The Product
Lewis Kornfeld was an adman turned electronics executive at Radio Shack. His time as the company’s president from 1970-1981 was an era of tremendous growth. This period saw the introduction of two significant consumer hits for Radio Shack: citizens band radio and the TRS-80 personal computer. The TRS-80, announced on August 3, 1977 at New York’s Hotel Warwick, cemented Radio Shack as a force in early personal computing.
Being first on retail shelves nationwide puts Radio Shack in pole position ahead of Jack Tramiel, Chuck Peddle, and the folks at Commodore, Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and the folks at Apple, and William Lowe, Don Estridge, and the folks at IBM. It must be remembered that no one knew exactly what a mass market consumer would do with a personal computer in 1977. Consider the problem from Kornfeld’s perspective: “There were no known customers asking for [a personal computer]” therefore “it was impossible to identify typical buyers.” Its difficult to imagine now, but taking up valuable retail shelf space was a big risk.
Kornfeld rolled the dice in spite of the unknowns. “We had no opening order quantity set beyond what would be needed to buy parts economically, but not less than 1000 were being considered […] and since all we had was a very rough idea of parts and labor costs, a selling price had yet to be firmed up”
To Catch a Mouse Make a Noise Like a Cheese was an opportunity for Kornfeld to lay claim to this success. He asserts his claim to TRS-80 fatherhood in at least three different places.
Wherever Kornfeld’s place is in computer history, the benefit of having an adman steering the ship is pretty clear. Radio Shack sold a lot more computers than their contemporaries in the early days. The TRS-80 quickly became the best-selling personal computer and Radio Shack enjoyed a prime spot in computer sales throughout the 1980s.
The Technique
The book’s style is filled with folksy wisdom and clever turns of phrase. So much so that it’s actually quite difficult to read. Kornfeld’s view on computing is dry but his view on advertising is particularly colorful. Take the following example:
A commodity is a product whose retail value is reduced to its lowest common denominator by having its value known and agreed on and changed at the whim of the Market. To make your product a product instead of a commodity, ADD VALUE to it, and CHARGE FULLY for the value added. It must be a reflex at Gucci.
The wisdom of Kornfeld’s thought is apparent without the Gucci quip. While the reference adds color, too many of the references evaded my grasp and only distracted.
Kornfeld’s 65 rules of marketing are practical but they don’t really offer much insight. For example, number 4: “One of the quickest ways of learning what to do in any business situation is first to be able to observe it done correctly.” Number 63: “When opportunity knocks in an unusually loud manner, tear a hole in the wall and make it a second door.” On the other hand, his consistent skepticism of Madison Ave. admen is generally instructive.
The book contains approaches to marketing that transcends its era, but the book itself is not timeless. The most interesting aspects of To Catch a Mouse Make a Noise Like a Cheese concern the TRS-80 while Kornfeld’s other big hit, the CB Radio, is barely mentioned. Most of the book’s limitations are imposed by the style of the author. While I’m always happy to read someone with a distinct approach to writing, the weight of Kornfeld’s pen is a bit too heavy for my liking.
April 25, 2010
In the world of internet marketing, there seems to be two extremes: banner advertising or marketing. In other words, advertising in the traditional sense seems to be a lost art. How sad.
This book is a great read. Kornfeld is a writer's writer. His tales of the introduction of the personal computer are most enlightening (especially for those of us that were there!). I owned each of the first four models, plus a few of the specialty ones like the hand held.
But if you wonder why your sales are flat, get your hands on this book. Your problem might just be a lack of understanding of the differences between advertising and marketing. It is an all too common problem today.
Remember that Marketing is "figuring out ducks like corn." Advertising is "spreading the corn for the ducks to see and come ashore to eat."
This book is a great read. Kornfeld is a writer's writer. His tales of the introduction of the personal computer are most enlightening (especially for those of us that were there!). I owned each of the first four models, plus a few of the specialty ones like the hand held.
But if you wonder why your sales are flat, get your hands on this book. Your problem might just be a lack of understanding of the differences between advertising and marketing. It is an all too common problem today.
Remember that Marketing is "figuring out ducks like corn." Advertising is "spreading the corn for the ducks to see and come ashore to eat."
August 16, 2013
R.I.P. Lewis Kornfeld, formerly of Radio Shack, who just passed away at 97. This colorfully titled, personably written book was one of my favorite instructional texts on the art of small business marketing, with an emphasis on effective copywriting.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews