Provides brand positioning frameworks, the 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing, ZAG methodology, Onliness Statement formula, and positioning templates. Auto-activates during positioning strategy, competitive mapping, and market positioning work. Use when discussing brand positioning, onliness statement, positioning statement, 22 laws, ZAG, Ries and Trout, Neumeier, cherchez le creneau, positioning map, ladder concept, or trueline.
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reference/templates.mdQuick reference for positioning a brand using methodologies from Al Ries, Jack Trout, and Marty Neumeier.
"Marketing is not a battle of products, it's a battle of perceptions." — Al Ries & Jack Trout
"When everybody zigs, zag." — Marty Neumeier
Positioning happens in the mind: You don't position products; you position perceptions. The only reality that counts is what's already in the prospect's mind.
The mind is limited: In an "over-communicated society," the mind can only hold a few brands per category. Simplicity wins.
First is powerful: Being first to get into the prospect's mind is more vital than having a superior product. "It's better to be first than it is to be better."
Own a word: Successful positioning means associating your brand with a specific word. Volvo owns "safety." FedEx owns "overnight." Crest owns "cavities."
Find the hole (Cherchez le Creneau): Look for an unoccupied position in the marketplace. "To find a creneau, you must have the ability to think in reverse, to go against the grain."
| # | Law | Core Principle |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leadership | Better to be first than to be better |
| 2 | Category | If you can't be first, create a new category you can be first in |
| 3 | Mind | Being first in the mind trumps being first in the marketplace |
| 4 | Perception | Marketing is a battle of perceptions, not products |
| 5 | Focus | Own a word in the prospect's mind |
| 6 | Exclusivity | Two companies cannot own the same word |
| 7 | Ladder | Strategy depends on which rung you occupy |
| 8 | Duality | Every market becomes a two-horse race long-term |
| 9 | Opposite | If you're #2, position as the alternative to #1 |
| 10 | Division | Categories divide into two or more over time |
| 11 | Perspective | Marketing effects take place over extended time |
| 12 | Line Extension | Extending the brand dilutes its power (most violated law) |
| 13 | Sacrifice | You must give up something to get something |
| 14 | Attributes | For every attribute, there's an opposite effective attribute |
| 15 | Candor | Admitting a negative earns you a positive |
| 16 | Singularity | Only one bold stroke will produce substantial results |
| 17 | Unpredictability | You can't predict the future |
| 18 | Success | Ego is the enemy of successful marketing |
| 19 | Failure | Failure should be expected and accepted |
| 20 | Hype | Situation is often the opposite of how it appears in press |
| 21 | Acceleration | Build on trends, not fads |
| 22 | Resources | Without adequate funding, ideas won't get off the ground |
Law of Sacrifice: "The essence of positioning is sacrifice. You must be willing to give up something in order to establish that unique position." Three things to sacrifice:
Law of Line Extension: "The most violated law. When you try to be all things to all people, you wind up in trouble."
Law of Focus: The most powerful concept in marketing is owning a word in the prospect's mind.
Core Philosophy: In an extremely cluttered marketplace, traditional differentiation is no longer enough. You need "radical differentiation."
Part 1: Finding Your Zag
Part 2: Designing Your Zag
Part 3: Renewing Your Zag
"For [target audience], [Brand] is the [category] that [key benefit] because [reason to believe]."
| Element | Question | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Target Audience | Who specifically are you for? | Define your customer |
| Category | What mental category do you compete in? | Frame of reference |
| Key Benefit | What's your unique claim? | Point of difference |
| Reason to Believe | What proof supports your claim? | Credibility |
Basic Formula:
"Our brand is the ONLY [category] that [unique differentiator]."
Detailed Formula (The 5W's):
| Element | Question | Example (Harley-Davidson) |
|---|---|---|
| WHAT | What category? | "motorcycle manufacturer" |
| HOW | How are you different? | "makes big, loud motorcycles" |
| WHO | Who is the audience? | "macho guys and macho wannabes" |
| WHERE | What geography? | "mostly in the United States" |
| WHY | What need state? | "who want to join a gang of cowboys" |
Complete Example (Harley-Davidson):
"We are the ONLY motorcycle manufacturer that makes big, loud motorcycles for macho guys (and macho wannabes) mostly in the United States who want to join a gang of cowboys."
The Test: "If you can't keep it brief or use the word 'only,' then you don't have a zag."
In every category, customers have a mental "ladder" of brands:
┌─────────────────────┐
│ #1 - Leader │ ← Owns the category definition
├─────────────────────┤
│ #2 - Challenger │ ← Must position as alternative
├─────────────────────┤
│ #3 - Also-ran │ ← Fighting for relevance
├─────────────────────┤
│ Everyone else │ ← Invisible to most customers
└─────────────────────┘
Strategy by Rung:
| Creneau Type | Strategy | Classic Example |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Go smaller or larger | VW "Think Small" vs. Detroit's big cars |
| Price | Go higher or lower | Budget vs. luxury positioning |
| Sex | Target specific gender | Marlboro Man, Virginia Slims |
| Timing | Own a time of day/occasion | Nyquil owns "nighttime cold relief" |
| Age | Target specific life stage | Gerber (babies), Geritol (seniors) |
| Distribution | New channel | L'eggs in supermarkets vs. department stores |
| Heavy-user | Target enthusiasts | Products designed for power users |
A trueline is "a tagline before it becomes a tagline"—the one true thing you can say about your brand that's both differentiating and compelling.
Brand Messaging Hierarchy (most permanent → most changeable):
| Level | Duration | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Never changes | Fundamental reason for existence |
| Mission | 10-25 years | Over-arching strategy |
| Vision | 7-15 years | Bold picture of the future |
| Trueline | 3-10 years | Internal expression of compelling differentiator |
| Tagline | 1-5 years | External, customer-facing expression |
Examples:
Pattern: The most successful repositioning attacks the leader's strength by reframing it as a weakness or limitation.
| # | Mistake | The Fix |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lack of Differentiation (same buzzwords as everyone) | Find what makes you THE ONLY |
| 2 | Trying to Appeal to Everyone | Pick a specific audience and own them |
| 3 | Confusing Messaging with Positioning | Strategy first, then messaging |
| 4 | Developing Positioning in a Silo | Cross-functional alignment from start |
| 5 | Line Extension (putting brand on unrelated products) | One brand = one position |
| 6 | Overcomplicating the Value Proposition | One clear idea |
| 7 | Inconsistent Brand Identity | Single position everywhere |
| 8 | Not Testing and Validating | Test with real customers |
| 9 | Stopping After the Statement | Position must drive decisions |
| 10 | Filling a Hole in the Factory, Not the Mind | Start with customer perception |
Apply these tests to validate positioning:
| Test | Question | Pass Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Onliness Test | Can you use the word "only"? | Must be literally true |
| Simplicity Test | Can you explain it in one sentence? | Clear and memorable |
| Memorability Test | Will customers remember it? | Sticks in the mind |
| Credibility Test | Can you actually deliver on it? | Have proof points |
| Differentiation Test | Is it meaningfully different? | Competitors can't claim it |
| 22 Laws Check | Which laws support or contradict? | Aligned with principles |
See reference/templates.md for: