--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The real barrier (to building a brand) is…" description: "\"The real barrier (to building a brand) is the human mind. It normally takes decades to build a brand because it takes decades to penetrate the gray mat..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61c/al-ries-14351_barrier_the-real-barrier-to-building-a-brand-is_1651486.png" --- # The real barrier (to building a brand) is the human mind… ![“The real barrier (to building a brand) is the human mind. It normally takes decades to build a brand because it takes decades to penetrate the gray matter in between your ears.” quote by Al Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61c/al-ries-14351_barrier_the-real-barrier-to-building-a-brand-is_1651486.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61c/al-ries-14351_barrier_the-real-barrier-to-building-a-brand-is_1651486.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61c/al-ries-14351_barrier_the-real-barrier-to-building-a-brand-is_1651486.png) > “The real barrier (to building a brand) is the human mind. It normally takes decades to build a brand because it takes decades to penetrate the gray matter in between your ears.” [Al Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ries/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Brand building is limited by how long it takes for consumers' minds to accept a new brand identity. **In simple terms:** Brands need time to enter minds. Key Takeaway Focus on long‑term brand perception. Themes branding psychology time perception Mood strategic realistic Type marketing psychological When to use this quote - advertising campaigns - product launches - rebranding efforts - market entry strategies Key Concepts marketing neuroscience consumer behavior Questions to Reflect On - How can we accelerate brand acceptance? - What tactics reshape consumer perception? A Different Perspective Changing mindsets is slow and costly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Barriers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barriers/) [Building a brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building-a-brand/) [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Gray matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gray-matter/) [Human mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-mind/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Marketing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marketing/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [Marketing is not selling. Marketing is building a brand in the mind of the prospect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ries/marketing-is-not-selling-marketing-is-building-a-brand-in-the-mind-of/) [Al Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ries/) > [First of all, when building a brand you have to know who you are, what you are, and what you stand for. That's clichéd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-vaynerchuk/first-of-all-when-building-a-brand-you-have-to-know-who-you-are-what/) [Gary Vaynerchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-vaynerchuk/) > [The rules of engagement around building a brand have changed significantly over the past 10 to 15 years. Where companies at one time could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-schultz/the-rules-of-engagement-around-building-a-brand-have-changed/) [Howard Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-schultz/) > [One consequence of this is that people are expected to make it on their own by chasing clicks or building a brand. What a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/astra-taylor/one-consequence-of-this-is-that-people-are-expected-to-make-it-on/) [Astra Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/astra-taylor/) > [“Life is a game and there are many ways to keep score. Stick with your gut, reward your hard work with hard play, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-marhamat/life-is-a-game-and-there-are-many-ways-to-keep-score-stick-with-your/) Bobby Marhamat > [Vince McMahon is one of my all time idols in terms of building a brand and sustaining a great company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-khan/vince-mcmahon-is-one-of-my-all-time-idols-in-terms-of-building-a/) [Tony Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-khan/) > [We decided that if we get the culture right, most of the stuff, like building a brand around delivering the very best customer service,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/we-decided-that-if-we-get-the-culture-right-most-of-the-stuff-like/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [“Hard core authors are determined about their craft, and they know that building a brand entails hard work. They eat, breathe and live their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-solon/hard-core-authors-are-determined-about-their-craft-and-they-know-that/) [Geraldine Solon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-solon/) > [I always think of it you know building a business, building a brand, a friend of mine gave me a metaphor for it which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-walker/i-always-think-of-it-you-know-building-a-business-building-a-brand-a/) [Karen Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-walker/) > [Don't wait till you are big before you begin building your brand. Build a brand from scratch alongside your business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/don-t-wait-till-you-are-big-before-you-begin-building-your-brand/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [“In reality, Lacy realized, this dividing line between her and Peter had been there for years. If you kept your chin up, you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/in-reality-lacy-realized-this-dividing-line-between-her-and-peter-had/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [The want of education and moral training is the only real barrier that exists between the different classes of men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-moodie/the-want-of-education-and-moral-training-is-the-only-real-barrier/) [Susanna Moodie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-moodie/) > [To be honest, I'm focusing on me and my brand and wherever that takes me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammi-giancola/to-be-honest-i-m-focusing-on-me-and-my-brand-and-wherever-that-takes/) [Sammi Giancola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammi-giancola/) > [It is not easy to build a great brand. It takes leadership to persuade the rest of the company to follow your vision. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-d-alessandro/it-is-not-easy-to-build-a-great-brand-it-takes-leadership-to-persuade/) [David F. D'Alessandro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-d-alessandro/) > [I don't think of myself as a brand, simply a designer. A fashion designer who is married to an artist and together we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-toledo/i-don-t-think-of-myself-as-a-brand-simply-a-designer-a-fashion/) [Isabel Toledo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-toledo/) ## More by Al Ries > [“Never run advertising until the major publicity possibilities have been exploited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ries/never-run-advertising-until-the-major-publicity-possibilities-have/) [Al Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ries/) > [It normally takes decades to build a brand... It's the forgetting of the old truth that allows a person to accept a new truth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ries/it-normally-takes-decades-to-build-a-brand-it-s-the-forgetting-of-the/) [Al Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ries/) > [Marketing is what a company is in business to do. Marketing is a company's ultimate objective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ries/marketing-is-what-a-company-is-in-business-to-do-marketing-is-a/) [Al Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ries/) > [The next generation product almost never comes from the previous generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ries/the-next-generation-product-almost-never-comes-from-the-previous/) [Al Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ries/) > [Your brand's power lies in dominance. It is better to have 50% of one market, instead of 10% of five markets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ries/your-brand-s-power-lies-in-dominance-it-is-better-to-have-50-of-one/) [Al Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ries/) > [What's your brand? If you can't answer that question about your own brand in two or three words, your brand's in trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ries/what-s-your-brand-if-you-can-t-answer-that-question-about-your-own/) [Al Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ries/) > [Changing the direction of a large company is like trying to turn an aircraft carrier. It takes a mile before anything happens. And if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ries/changing-the-direction-of-a-large-company-is-like-trying-to-turn-an/) [Al Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ries/) > [A branding program should be designed to differentiate your cow from all the other cattle on the range. Even if all the cattle on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ries/a-branding-program-should-be-designed-to-differentiate-your-cow-from/) [Al Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ries/) > [When a really new product comes along, it's almost always a mistake to hang a well-known name on it. The reason is obvious. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ries/when-a-really-new-product-comes-along-it-s-almost-always-a-mistake-to/) [Al Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ries/) > [“What’s called luck is usually an outgrowth of successful communication.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ries/what-s-called-luck-is-usually-an-outgrowth-of-successful-communication/) [Al Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ries/) > [“Mind-changing is the road to advertising disaster.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ries/mind-changing-is-the-road-to-advertising-disaster/) [Al Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ries/) > [A successful branding program is based on the concept of singularity. It creates in the mind of the prospect the perception that there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ries/a-successful-branding-program-is-based-on-the-concept-of-singularity/) [Al Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ries/) > [To get into the consumer's mind, you have to sacrifice. You have to reduce the essence of your brand to a single thought or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ries/to-get-into-the-consumer-s-mind-you-have-to-sacrifice-you-have-to/) [Al Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ries/) > [Customers want brands that are narrow in scope and distinguishable by a single word, the shorter the better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ries/customers-want-brands-that-are-narrow-in-scope-and-distinguishable-by/) [Al Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ries/) > [“The mind, as a defense against the volume of today’s communications, screens and rejects much of the information offered it. In general, the mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ries/the-mind-as-a-defense-against-the-volume-of-today-s-communications/) [Al Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ries/) [Explore all 46 Al Ries quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ries/) ## More Barrier quotes > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [“The only barrier to Self-realization or enlightenment is the ego. The ego is the false identification with names and forms. Once this barrier dissolves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kulkarni/the-only-barrier-to-self-realization-or-enlightenment-is-the-ego-the/) Akshay Kulkarni > [I'd probably play games obsessively if I didn't write, although I admit I don't read novels partly because I don't enjoy it, not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-traviss/i-d-probably-play-games-obsessively-if-i-didn-t-write-although-i/) [Karen Traviss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-traviss/) > [I am a romantic, but I do put up a barrier around myself, so it is hard for people to get in and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/i-am-a-romantic-but-i-do-put-up-a-barrier-around-myself-so-it-is-hard/) [Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/) > [“The greatest barrier of success is the fear of failure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-potter/the-greatest-barrier-of-success-is-the-fear-of-failure/) J.K. Potter > [“I really hope there is a language barrier thing going on here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-ward/i-really-hope-there-is-a-language-barrier-thing-going-on-here/) [Annie Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-ward/) > [Do you know there is always a barrier between me and any man or woman who does not like dogs?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-glasgow/do-you-know-there-is-always-a-barrier-between-me-and-any-man-or-woman/) [Ellen Glasgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-glasgow/) > [Friendship, on the other hand, serves a great host of different purposes all at the same time. In whatever direction you turn, it still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/friendship-on-the-other-hand-serves-a-great-host-of-different/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [I've never really had any barrier to break I guess. I don't really have anything to rebel against. I'm quite lucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-watson/i-ve-never-really-had-any-barrier-to-break-i-guess-i-don-t-really/) [Emma Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-watson/) > [The biggest barrier to starting a company isn't ideas, funding or experience. It's excuses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lacy/the-biggest-barrier-to-starting-a-company-isn-t-ideas-funding-or/) [Sarah Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lacy/) > [“I tis hopeless to try to convert some borders into seams. Expressways and their ramps are examples. Moreover, even in the case of large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-jacobs/i-tis-hopeless-to-try-to-convert-some-borders-into-seams-expressways/) [Jane Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-jacobs/) > [It's amazing that something only an atom thick can be an impenetrable barrier. You can have gas on one side and vacuum or liquid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mceuen/it-s-amazing-that-something-only-an-atom-thick-can-be-an-impenetrable/) [Paul McEuen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mceuen/) > [At a certain point, when there's a barrier between you and what's right, eventually you have to decide you're not going to allow yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamasi-washington/at-a-certain-point-when-there-s-a-barrier-between-you-and-what-s/) [Kamasi Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamasi-washington/) > [Arafat was a barrier to peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/arafat-was-a-barrier-to-peace/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Mind doesn't work properly when taken into a higher level where fear dominates the will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/mind-doesn-t-work-properly-when-taken-into-a-higher-level-where-fear/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) Browse all 158 Barrier quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The real barrier (to building a brand) is the human mind. 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