The Branding Technique That Elevates Brands: Embrace a Strategic Enemy
In the world of branding, a powerful technique has emerged: the strategic enemy. This approach centers your brand by aligning it against something your target customers already dislike or distrust. Unlike traditional competitive positioning, a strategic enemy challenges a broader frustration and a dated norm, effectively signaling that your brand is the solution to a widespread problem.
Key examples of the strategic-enemy approach
- Colgate: Reframes toothpaste by contrasting with tooth powders, a less convenient and messier option.
- Salesforce: Popularized customer relationship management in the cloud, positioning against on-premises software as the default.
- Tropicana: Markets orange juice as not-from-concentrate, standing in opposition to frozen concentrate.
- Oatly: Promotes oat milk as the preferred alternative to cow’s milk.
- Uber: Sparked a shift from taxis to ride-sharing, challenging the traditional taxi industry.
- Dude Wipes: Markets flushable wipes for men, challenging the use of ordinary toilet paper.
Why this approach works
- Clarity and stance: A clear enemy helps customers instantly understand what your brand stands against.
- Emotional resonance: Aligning with a common frustration creates a shared narrative that many people recognize.
- Differentiation through values: The strategy signals a broader stance beyond product features, touching on convenience, modernity, or ethical considerations.
- Rapid memorability: The enemy provides a simple, repeatable hook that can amplify word-of-mouth and media coverage.
If you’d like, I can help brainstorm additional examples relevant to your industry or audience, and tailor a messaging framework that incorporates a strategic enemy while staying authentic to your brand values.
