Update Note
Magda was recently invited to Matt Davies and Jacob Cass’s podcast, Just Branding, to discuss the article below and the topic of positioning models in detail. You can listen to the episode here.
We’re refreshing this post to bring it back to the top of the blog for those who haven’t had a chance to read it yet.
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If you have something interesting to say about your brand, the specific brand strategy template you use becomes less critical. However, for reasons beyond our understanding, many companies adopt overly complicated positioning models that can dilute even the most unique brand proposition.
When a company has too many “strategic statements” existing in parallel (mission, vision, brand essence, purpose, manifesto, values, benefits, etc.), it’s likely that both employees and customers are confused about the true essence of the brand. Such strategic overcomplication creates anything but clarity – not to mention the time wasted deciding which part of the brand proposition belongs in which section of the positioning model (e.g., what qualifies as a mission vs. a higher purpose).
Successful companies use positioning templates that help their brands be easily understood. Today, we’ll explore three popular brand strategy models, which, if applied properly, should create more clarity than confusion.
1. Brand Benefit Ladder
a) What does the template look like?
– Product feature (often in the form of an “RTB” or “reason to believe”)
– Rational benefit resulting from this feature
– Emotional benefit “laddered” from the functional benefit
b) Example
Always‘ brand strategy
– Product feature: High absorbency of the pads
– Rational benefit: Girls can feel confident during their periods
– Emotional benefit: Boosting girls’ confidence in everyday life and championing a world free from gender bias
c) What kind of brands use this template?
Primarily FMCG brands, which often have single-minded brand strategies.
d) What are the advantages of this model?
It’s simple and forces brand strategists to translate product features into benefits relevant to consumers.
e) Are there any downsides?
This model can be difficult to apply in more complex categories (media, professional services, etc.), where single-mindedness may not always be possible.
2. Simon Sinek’s “Why, How and What”
a) What does the template look like?
– Why: Why does the organization exist? What is its purpose?
– How: How is the company’s offering different from others? What is unique about it?
– What: What does the company or product do?
According to Simon Sinek, most brands communicate “the what” and “the how” and neglect “the why”, when in reality, they should always start with “the why”.
b) Example
Virgin’s brand strategy
– Why: We change businesses for good
– How: By disrupting industries, fixing what is broken and changing things for the better in the long term
– What: TV and Internet, radio, wine, airlines, hotels, gyms etc.
c) What kind of brands use this template?
Primarily corporate brands (companies rather than products), often using purpose-driven branding to position themselves as responsible corporate citizens (brand purpose is often associated with CSR, but it doesn’t have to be).
If you want to learn more about purposeful brands, check our post on this topic.
d) What are the advantages of this model?
Although there’s no definitive data to prove that purposeful brands achieve better financial results, this model remains popular among strategists, marketers, and branding journalists and bloggers. By effectively leveraging a higher purpose, brands can tap into increased media exposure and, consequently, greater brand awareness.
e) Are there any downsides?
Not all brands can authentically communicate a purpose, and this model is more suited to organizations than individual products. After all, what is the purpose of a toilet paper brand?
When a purpose feels inauthentic, it can lead to “brand strategy fluff”, turning it into more of a marketing exercise than a true business driver. As a result, many brands end up with similar, generic purposes – empowering or connecting people, enabling progress, or improving lives.
Additionally, the model often focuses on the organization rather than the consumer, which isn’t always the most effective approach.
3. Bull’s Eye
a) What does the template look like?
– Brand essence: What does the brand stand for, in one sentence?
– Brand values: What are the brand pillars and the main communication themes (e.g., heritage, inclusiveness, innovation, etc.)?
– Brand character: What is the personality and tone of voice of the brand (e.g., warm, high-tech, trendy, corporate, etc.)?
At BrandStruck, we add one more element to this model: the brand archetype.
You can read about brand archetypes here).
b) Example
Dove’s brand strategy
– Brand essence: Empowering women to feel beautiful and self-confident
– Brand values: Beauty, empowerment, care
– Brand character: Feminine, warm, caring, positive, innocent, inclusive
– Brand archetype: The Innocent
c) What kind of brands use this template?
Any brand can use this model.
d) What are the advantages of this model?
It is easy to communicate both internally and externally and it simplifies measuring brand performance, as brands can be tracked against a set of agreed values and brand character attributes.
Additionally, it is useful for decoding competitors’ brand strategies, as any brand’s positioning can be described using this model. This makes it a valuable tool for comparison, which is why BrandStruck uses it for brand strategy case studies.
e) Are there any downsides?
While it is easy to use for decoding other brands’ strategies, applying it to your own brand can be challenging. Defining a brand essence in just one sentence requires discipline and internal alignment, and unlike the two previous models, this one doesn’t provide leading questions to guide the process.
The Brand Benefit Ladder, Why, How, and What, and the Bull’s Eye are three popular positioning models that simplify the process of defining a brand’s strategy. However, if you haven’t done the necessary groundwork to understand your brand’s core, these models won’t offer much help.
If you want to read the complete brand strategy case studies of all brands mentioned in this post, subscribe to BrandStruck.
If you need help with research or want to hire Magda for a brand project, email her at magda@brandstruck.co
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Magda Adamska is the founder of BrandStruck.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/magda-adamska-32379048/
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