Stone Soup – Perhaps an Early Marketing Book?

At the age of five, I recall reading my first page turner. Slightly worn out from my siblings, the hardcover book called Stone Soup was appropriately oversized, just like the impact it had on me. The story was about traveling soldiers that had no food or money. Through what seemed to me at the time to be downright lying, the soldiers stumbled upon a town and convinced the people that a giant cauldron of hot water with stones was actually brewing up a delicious and hearty soup. The townspeople, who were previously reluctant to share their food, quickly added vegetables and meats to enrich the flavor of the communal feast. Simply through the artful way the soldiers positioned the stones, they were able to evoke a desired response from their audience.   

For years I remember being fascinated by this story, reflecting from time- to-time on how the soldiers convinced people that rocks were actually a magical ingredient in their delicious stew. As I studied communication in college,  I realized that in many ways, this was actually the first book on communication strategies I read! The soldiers that I once thought were deceitful were simply “positioning” a message in order to shape how the information was received.   

In marketing, positioning is how you create or form an impression in your audiences’ mind. It is the image, emotion and association you purposefully produce in relation to a brand or product. The traveling soldiers formed a belief in the villagers’ minds that stones were an integral part of a special recipe. I remember being fascinated as a young adult that such a poignant communication strategy could be portrayed through a child’s story. Fables, tale tails, and folklore weave life lessons into stories people of all ages can enjoy and learn from.   

So the next time your reading a book with your child, see if there are any take aways relevant to a situation or event in your life!