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Repositioning what you stand for…

What do you stand for in the mind of your customers?

In the last blog, we talked about how critically important it is to understand this and the concept of brand positioning. And we looked at the various ways you can influence this perception your consumers have of you.

But what if you’ve already etched out a really clear position and it’s now no longer working for you? This blog is all about our favourite type of branding projects – repositioning.

These projects are not without their challenges. Catching someone’s attention once in today’s cluttered marketplace is tough. To do it twice and change someone’s perception of you – well, difficult doesn’t quite sum it up.

But that’s probably why we love these projects so much. They push the boundaries of our thinking and creativity.

What do you stand for in the mind of your customers?

In the last blog, we talked about how critically important it is to understand this and the concept of brand positioning. And we looked at the various ways you can influence this perception your consumers have of you.

But what if you’ve already etched out a really clear position and it’s now no longer working for you? This blog is all about our favourite type of branding projects – repositioning.

These projects are not without their challenges. Catching someone’s attention once in today’s cluttered marketplace is tough. To do it twice and change someone’s perception of you – well, difficult doesn’t quite sum it up.

But that’s probably why we love these projects so much. They push the boundaries of our thinking and creativity.

 

STAGE ONE – Where are you now?

Before embarking on a repositioning project, you first need absolute clarity on where you are now. Or more precisely, WHO you are to your customers now.

And the critical thing here is to remember, who your brand is and the position you currently hold in the mind of your customers, is not what you say it is. It’s what they think it is.

You must get into your customers’ heads.

And if possible, speak to your customers. Conduct research. Try and delve in and really understand what they think of you. Their point of view. And which box they’ve slotted you into in their heads.

Even without research – you know your customers. Step into their shoes. Empathise with them. Really look at yourself from the outside-in and ask who am I to them? What do they think
I stand for?

STAGE TWO – So what’s the problem?

Once you’ve identified this, the next question is – why is this an issue?

Something brought you to this blog. And to consider repositioning your brand. Are they the
right reasons?

Atomi Vox, outline three common issues that tend to spark conversations around repositioning and rebranding, that you need to be extremely CAREFUL of…

1. Sales are down – this can be a sign that your brand is not connecting, but there can be multiple reasons for short-term dips. You need to dive into the issues and really understand what’s driving the decline before proceeding.

2. A competitor just launched new branding – this is something you absolutely need to monitor and watch, to see if they’re going after your position and how their branding will disrupt the space. But be careful of a knee jerk reaction and rebranding for rebranding’s sake.

3. You think your brand looks tired – brands do need to be refreshed, but you need to be careful that it’s driven by customer insight rather than personal preference. It’s easy for us to tire of branding and messaging internally. We look at it day in, day out. But just because we are bored, doesn’t mean customers are. And doesn’t mean it isn’t delivering strategically.

What each of these three reasons has in common, is that they are NOT being driven by changes in what customers want or need from you.

Can you define your problem from a customer perspective? Why is the position you hold in their mind, strategically no longer the right fit for you?

These are the questions you need to focus on. That you should be asking yourself.

STAGE THREE – The “onlyness” test

In his book, ZAG, Marty Neumeier looks at the most powerful test of your strategic position – what he calls the “Onlyness” test.

And we love it as a tool for figuring out where you do fit.

He has one question – that if you can answer, will allow you win the positioning game. What makes you the “only” in your category?

He shares this deceptively simple slide – which is one of the most fundamentally difficult things to answer as a brand.

Because to complete this sentence, requires absolute clarity about what makes you different and what you uniquely offer your customers.

It is something we guide brands through the complex process of unravelling, as part of our repositioning workshops.

STAGE FOUR – Flipping the switch.

Once you have absolute clarity on where you need to strategically be positioned and what your ‘Onlyness’ is – you need to figure out how you are going to catch your audiences’ attention.

You need to get them to reconsider you and reclassify you from one box in their mind to another and then keep you there. One key tool we like to use is brand archetypes.

We know people connect with characters. Not companies. We’ve talked about brand archetypes many times – the 12 key characters that Carl Jung identified that are like recurring motifs through storytelling that transcend time and cultures.

Successful brands leverage the instant connectivity and clarity of these characters, by aligning their brand persona with them.

And to successfully reposition your brand, often involves a bold change of archetype.

The famous Apple switch...

When we surveyed our clients at the end of 2019, we asked which brands were their favourite. And while many names came up, Apple was the clear winner.

It’s one we often refer to ourselves, as we’ve huge admiration for the simplicity of their branding. And the unique way they bring THE CREATOR brand archetype to life.

But back in the early 1980’s they were a very different type of character.

They were THE REBEL – a challenger brand on a mission to revolutionise the personal computer market. Brandstruck have put together a fascinating timeline that gives an insight into
their journey.

But you just have to watch their legendary 1984 Macintosh Superbowl Advert to really feel
this rebelliousness.

By the early 1990’s, however, Apple was in trouble. Steve Jobs was gone, and the company was on the brink of bankruptcy.

He returned in 1997 and began to take Apple in a new direction.

While they still wanted to pay homage to “the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the trouble-makers…. The ones who think differently”. They quickly began to outgrow their challenger role.

Their redesigned logo was launched the following year – moving away from the rainbow palette and replacing it with the simple, sleek, monochromatic version we know and love today.

And they found a new way to authentically connect with and express their purpose and the original mission statement that Steve Jobs set out for Apple – “to make tools for the mind that advance humankind”.

They embraced THE CREATOR archetype, with their adverts taking on a different tone – a more human, uplifting and aspirational tone. One that showcased their uniquely human centric approach to innovation and relentless focus on simplicity.

Do you need to change?

If you’ve outgrown your positioning and need to change, we hope this blog has provided you with some inspiration around what’s possible.

As we said before – to catch someone’s attention once is hard. To do it twice and change their perception of you, is very difficult. But it’s possible. Your positioning can evolve, grow and innovate as your brand does.

Browse our case studies for more inspiration from clients like Cork Airport, who successfully repositioned their brand from a caregiver persona with a “Fly friendly” promise, to a new more engaging brand archetype – THE LOVER. With you, the customer, at the centre of its attention and a whole range of inspiring new destinations – its new tagline promised that with Cork Airport, you’ll “Love taking off”.

And talk to us – this switching of the dial in what you stand for in the hearts and minds of your customers is what we thrive on here at TOTEM.

More Insights

The Complexity of Simplicity

19.03.20

Preparing your brand for the recovery

14.04.20

Insights

The Complexity of Simplicity

19.03.20

Preparing your brand for the recovery

14.04.20