How To Build And Position A Brand Worth Fighting For

“The most successful company brands achieve greatness not by claiming superiority, but by boldly positioning against an enemy,” explains Laura Ries, author of the new book, The Strategic Enemy: How To Build And Position A Brand Worth Fighting For.

She adds, “Consumers are overwhelmed by choices and inundated with marketing messages. And despite an obsession with positioning amongst the world’s most well-known companies, too many brands retain an outdated focus on being better (better service, better prices, etc.) and using line-extensions rather than on what really matters in the mind―being different than your strategic enemy.”

Riess shares that the human mind understands ideas best through contrast. Therefore, when you tell consumers you are different, it begs the question Why? Why are you different, and how does that make your brand better? It is more involving, creates news value, and opens the discussion. “When you communicate that difference by also being visually distinctive, it is a powerful combination that solidifies the brand position in the mind," says Ries.

In addition, brands need an oversimplified message that is memorable, emotional, and can be visualized, and then repeated over and over again. The human mind needs repetition.

Ries calls that visual message a “visual hammer:” a crystal-clear image that distinguishes your brand from everyone else’s.

You’ll also find:

Illustrative case studies of real-world companies―like Liquid Death, the popular canned water brand; Chick-fila-A's “Eat More Chikin” campaign; Oatly’s “Wow no Cow,” sloga;―that demonstrate how to effectively position using focus and a distinctive enemy (plastic bottles, beef, and dairy milk, respectively).

Strategies to adapt to a constantly changing marketplace where trends, products, and customer needs shift every day.

How to keep your company from expanding or extending to such an extent that true differentiation is impossible.

Some of my favorite learnings and takeaways from the book include:

Reality doesn’t matter. Only perception does. Perception is reality in the minds of consumers. It’s not just what your brand is, it’s what people believe it is that defines its value and influence.

When you define what you are against, it becomes clear what you are for. Instead of making claims your brand is better, it’s more effective to contrast with a strategic enemy how your brand is different. The human mind understands opposition faster than superiority. Positioning your brand against a strategic enemy elevates your brand from “just another choice” into the right choice.

Positioning doesn’t start with what you want to stand for. It starts with what the prospect is willing to believe. Too many companies make claims; they don’t own positions.

Finding an enemy forces your brand to focus on a specific idea. This focus will energize the company and consumers alike to rally around your cause.

Perfect for branding and strategy teams, managers, executives, and other business leaders, The Strategic Enemy is also a must-read for marketing professionals, sales leaders, and anyone else with an interest in driving revenue at their company.

Laura Ries

Ries is chairwoman of RIES, a global consulting firm, where she continues the legacy of her late father Al Ries, the legendary positioning pioneer and co-author of the world’s bestselling marketing book, Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind.

She is also the co-author (with Al Ries) of five books that have taken part in reshaping modern marketing—including, The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding and The Fall of Advertising & The Rise of PR.

Thank you to the book’s publisher for sending me an advance copy of the book.

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