Positioning for success: going beyond words to ignite action.

Developing a brand can feel like a constant open-ended question, not dissimilar to one we ask ourselves on a daily basis: who are we, and what are we here to do in this world? 

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Luckily for brands, they have brand strategy and positioning to help them figure it out (we’ve got to do it ourselves).

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Positioning is the first step in creating a brand that is not just an offer, a product, or an experience, but a meaningful entity that feels distinctive, relevant, and can engage with multiple audiences.

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It’s an exercise that challenges you to examine what makes your brand essential, strip down the superficial, and identify the core drive that justifies its existence.

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From insight to brand truth.

There have been many names and definitions of positioning. A promise, an essence, a core idea, a purpose. 
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We believe it’s the answer to one question: What’s the point of your brand? 

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The answer should be one that can stand above your product, your experience, and your existing perception and endure the test of time. Competition will evolve, people will evolve, but that core truth won’t.

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Where do you find the answer?

The right answer comes from a full understanding of your brand, its goals, and the space it occupies. Start with clarity to leap safely into the unknown.

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Your space sits at the intersection of your 4Cs (Company, Culture, Category, Consumer):

• Company: Who you are, how you are perceived, what you are or aren't doing well, and what you mean to your audience and the world. 
• Category: Where you are in comparison to others in your category; identifying the codes to break and the opportunities for growth.‍
• Culture: Immersing yourself in what’s happening in the world, the broader context that your brand exists in and areas of impact.‍
• Consumer: Talking, researching, and understanding the needs of the people who know you and the ones who don’t, identifying where you can help and building rapport with them.

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Positioning requires imagination, empathy, and creativity, but it needs to be anchored in facts that allow it to work. 

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The insights from each section help create different positioning territories that we can bring forward to our clients to collaborate on. The strategy we’re creating will be embodied in their work, so they are essential to this part of the process; we work together to make sure the leaps we’re suggesting are ones they can authentically take.

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DixonBaxi example: 

When working with TNT SPORTS, we helped them redefine the role of a sports broadcaster—innovative, comprehensive in sports content, and, most importantly, connected with sports fans.

Our research revealed that competitors in the category were uniformly distant and impersonal, focusing solely on content while lacking warmth and humanity. This approach contributed to the growing perception that fans were being sidelined, particularly in the UK, where it seemed that money had overshadowed the sense of community in sports.

By positioning TNT SPORTS around the core idea of 'Right by the Fans,' we created a brand that draws fans closer to the sport, immersing them in the experience as if they were on the pitch. We also sought to represent fans in new, meaningful ways, breaking down the barriers between them and the sports they love.

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When can it go wrong?

We’ve established that the aim of our research stage is to understand the context in which our brand is evolving, and what space it can occupy within the category—a space that is born from your insights.

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So how can you go wrong in figuring out who you are?

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Simple: by not following it through. Strong positioning is one thing. Living and breathing it is another.

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Bumble, a female-founded app known for empowering women to make the first move, recently hinted at a significant rebrand.

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They had the right insights into how their audiences felt: fed-up, detached and not represented by dating apps. They teased that the rebrand would be a much-needed wake-up call for dating apps, and would continue empowering women by challenging the very problems they were experiencing on these apps. However, instead of delivering on this promise, the app released a set of feature updates that were unrelated to their strategy. 

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Bumble’s strategy revolves around creating kind connections: 'Our mission is to create a world where all relationships are healthy and equitable through Kind Connections.' Yet, their brand moves didn’t align with their positioning, disappointing users and creating false expectations. In the end, they didn't distance themselves from other dating apps.

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If you behave exactly like everyone in your category, how can your positioning be true?

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Our criteria for success.

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How do you know if you’re on track with your positioning?

We’ve developed a criteria to judge your positioning against, so you can make sure your brand's core idea is a source of action, meaning and growth. 

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Credibility to your brand

Your positioning needs to be credible, and aligned with who your brand is. It gives you a clear understanding of who you are and what you can do. It’s not about playing it safe but being confident in your experimentation.

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Relevant to your audiences

Good positioning means being relevant to your audience, succeeding in building emotional connections with your people and those who didn’t know you, and creating that distinctive brand echo. 

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Differentiation in your market

Standing out in your market is essential. It’s where the power of branding is most clearly expressed, not only through product functionality or expression but also through the relationship you build with your audience. Why you and not someone else? 

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Flex for future growth

Great positioning is key to building consistency, but it should allow space for your brand to grow organically and gain fame beyond its current status.

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Crafting the perfect positioning statement can feel overwhelming, and it's easy to get tangled up in the quest for the right words. But it’s crucial to remember that this statement is more than just words—it's a call to action. It doesn't have to say it all, but it should ignite everything.

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Alice Auxenfans, Strategist.

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