Positioning With Value Opposites

Business strategy is often taught like warfare: dominate, disrupt, defeat, kill. We’re told to “outcompete.” But the brands that actually win? In my view its the ones who don’t try to do this. That don't run after the customers they know their competitors are focused on.

The best don’t compete. They refuse to. Instead, they take a side. And in doing so, they make the competition irrelevant. Let me explain.

Positioning Is Not a Popularity Contest

Most brands fall into the same trap: They try to be everything to everyone.

In segmentation workshops, they chase every available persona. In positioning statements, they cram in every possible benefit. They think broad appeal equals growth. It doesn’t.

Segmentation isn’t a license to chase everyone - it’s a method to make strategic choices. Strategy is saying yes to one thing and no to many others.

Strong brands segment first, then target, then position. Segmentation is the first act of strategy - it require you to understand the market, its broad needs, and where to play. Only after segmenting the market should you decide whom to target within that market (e.g. customers actively or potentially in the category, either now or in the foreseeable future.).

Positioning then defines how you'll be perceived by that chosen target. How you orientate your brand towards them and show up for them.

But weak brands skip straight to tactics. They confuse “inclusive” with “indistinct.”

A powerful positioning doesn’t just say what you are. It says, unapologetically, what you are not.

That’s why the best positioning works both ways. For example:

• If you’re “Premium,” the opposite “Budget” can still be credible.

• If you’re “Playful,” the opposite “Serious” can be meaningful.

If your positioning can’t be flipped without losing all value - bluntly, it probably doesn’t stand for much. Its about knowing your value and the opposite value you are happy for competitors to own. This brings clarity. To the market. To your team.

Differentiation Through Opposites

The truth is you don’t need to be different from everyone, just distinct from your competition. The key? Choose your extreme. Stand in contrast. Here are a few axes that define strong vs opposite positioning:

• Premium vs Budget

• Local vs Global

• Innovative vs Traditional

• Fast vs Slow

• Playful vs Serious

• Minimalist vs Rich/Ornate

• Accessible vs Exclusive

• Functional vs Emotional

• Experimental vs Proven

• Custom vs Standardised

• Loud vs Quiet

• Sustainable vs Disposable

• High-tech vs Low-tech

• Convenience vs Craftsmanship

• Mainstream vs Niche

Every axis is a strategic decision. You’re not just picking a style - you’re picking a side in the market. And when you do, everything downstream becomes easier: your message, your codes, your creative, your product roadmap.

The Middle Mistake

Brands often sit in the mushy middle - for example, trying to be both premium and affordable, innovative and classic, functional and emotional. They mistake “broad reach” for “blurry strategy.” When I see this as a consultant I know work is needed on positioning. We need to rally the company around something clear and be ok with not being all things to all people.

Reach doesn’t require fuzziness. Byron Sharp is right: mass marketing works - but it works best when the brand has clear mental availability. And, in my view, that clarity comes from contrast.

So if you want to build a brand that lasts, start here:

• What do you stand against?

• What would the opposite of your brand look like - and would it still make sense and be of value in the market?

• Are you refusing to compete, or quietly mimicking the category?

Parting message: Be brave. Take a side. Make peace with the opposite. That’s not just good branding. It’s a winning strategy.