You spent countless hours racking your brains over your 'why.' But then, the moment arrives — your brand identity, vision, mission, values, and design finally seem to make sense. What a relief! The hardest work is done. You know who you are. Or actually, you've always known that. But now you can properly convey it. Finally. So, mission accomplished. Right?

Well... You've come a long way, and that's fantastic. But this is the moment of truth: you're going public with your brand. The world is about to discover who you are, what you stand for, and what your brand story is. Briefly put, it's time for a sharp brand positioning.

As the world grows, you and your brand grow along with it

What's positioning, really? Is it like sticking a tent pole in the ground, setting up your tent, and going to sleep? Well, not exactly. A good brand positioning is anything but static. You position yourself in many different ways, using everything from social media to offline channels. You're targeting an external audience (your prospects and customers) and an internal audience (your employees).

On top of that, your brand is constantly growing. That's pretty complex. For is today's 'you' the same as last year's 'you?' Great question! I'm going to give you an even greater (two-fold) answer: "Yes and no."

Your core values stay the same, but the world keeps changing — and you're responding to that. You grow along with it. You innovate. And that affects your brand positioning. Take Shell, for example. Is it still an energy company? Absolutely. But today, it puts much more focus on green energy. That makes sense, as sustainability is a hot topic and smart companies pay attention to it to stay future-proof. Although Shell still exists as a brand, your (grand)parents probably won't recognize its positioning!

Do you know that feeling when you see a product that has never crossed your mind but is actually perfect for you? It happens to me all the time — especially on Instagram! And of course, brands are targeting me there big time. But it works. Here's an example: a while ago, I was tempted to buy a new shampoo that isn't really a shampoo. Wait... what? Yup, I was also intrigued! So I read the product description and the reviews. And I liked what I saw. A chemical-free product that would degrease and clean my hair? It sounded awesome! But I saw the shampoo several times before I decided to get it. When I did that, though, I really signed up for it: my subscription is still active.

This example shows why a brand positioning is important. If you want to reach your target audience, you have to claim your spot in a market where brands try to jostle each other. That's exactly why you've got some convincing to do: give people a reason to buy your product or service. It's essential to have a powerful brand positioning that people associate with positive things.

For example, we've recently started working with a customer that is at the very beginning of their brand journey. That's amazing, because the company in question really has to establish itself from scratch. In this case, the power of repetition is absolutely paramount. Your target audience will only remember your brand if you communicate about it and convey your core message over and over again — yet in ever-unique ways! That's how you ultimately create loyal fans.

Yes, I can hear your Communications Team utter a collective protesting sigh now. "Do we really have to?!" I get it. All that repetition might seem a bit boring. But... keep in mind what it can bring you: your campaigns show your target audience that you're able to respond to pressing needs. They help your ideal customers understand that you provide the solution to their problem. That's how you create connections with them. To do so, though, you need to be on platforms where you can reach them. And in today's overwhelming content forest, you should also make sure they keep spotting you. That's how they'll get an overall picture of your brand — who you are, what you believe in, what you've got to offer, what promises you make, and why you are unique.

A short recap: it's paramount that you position yourself and repeat your core message, so your brand will stick in people's minds. Check, check, double check. So—that's it?

Well... no. I just mentioned the term 'growth.' What's closely related to it is a buzzword that's actually really timeless: 'innovation.'

Now that I've given you a peek inside my bathroom, let me tell you about another product I found online: my electric toothbrush, the Boombrush. It works better than the Philips Sonicare and it has a longer battery life. We have it in black and white. Now, here's the thing: the toothbrush does its job, and I'm pretty happy with it. It's a nice Dutch brand. You can try the product for 60 days. So far so good. But where's the innovation? How do they keep me engaged? I'm a customer, but I'm not a loyal fan. Sure, they sell that toothbrush in two different colors — but they don't offer me anything else. A missed opportunity!

That shampoo brand (whose product isn't a shampoo) does innovate: it constantly expands its product line. Plus, I receive tips and tricks on how to get more beautiful hair. The brand shows me some kindness, too: they send timely messages to let me know another shampoo package will be sent to me (and I can cancel or pause my subscription). All this gives me a good feeling about them. I am and will remain a fan!

When it comes to innovation, here's what the motto should be: 'Put your money where your mouth is.' Nowadays, for example, everyone and their mother claims to be environmentally conscious. If that's you, great — but please be sure to make it tangible and explain it to your target audience. Sloganizing is an absolute no-go today. Particularly generation Z can't stand this type of marketing drivel.

I'll give you an example. With our customer Daylr, we clearly determined their differentiating factor. For let's face it: virtually everyone who operates in the juice industry offers a fresh, cold-pressed, healthy product. During our research phase, we discovered that pretty much every competitor shared the same story. It was all about the product — which isn't enough reason to pick juice X or juice Y. In fact, if the products are the same, it's perfectly possible to compare their prices. We believed Daylr — formerly Dr. Veggie — should be different. "Adjust your brand positioning," we said.

Through our positioning workshops, we were able to establish a new, distinctive positioning. We decided to link the juices to a moment of the day or an activity. Here's the underlying idea: the juice supports the moment when you need it. This meant we had to say goodbye to Dr. Veggie's detox positioning. Of course, the brand needed a new name. We ultimately went for 'Daylr,' including a catchy payoff: ‘There’s something good in every Daylr.’ It's a distinctive positioning that gives potential buyers a reason to choose your product.

By the way... not all brands are for everyone. Not everyone is Ikea! What matters is that you are 100 percent clear on who you're targeting. Sometimes, focusing on a niche can be much more interesting than being everyone's friend.

Perhaps you're not yet entirely convinced. So let's discuss one more example. This one is straight from our own business — just to show you how important that differentiating factor is! At HLO, we have an animation studio. A while back, we were invited to make a paid pitch. It was a comprehensive animation project, and several parties were selected. Our distinctive positioning: "Our animation studio has its roots in a branding agency. If there's anyone who understands how to build brands, it's us — and our vision is that animation is part of it. The 360° brand experience is our beating heart. And the same goes for our animation studio, HLO Moving Brands."

Long story short: the customer opted for us. There are multiple animation agencies that are excellent at what they do. But as it turned out, the combination of animation and branding was unique!

So here's the moral of the story: define your target audience very clearly and position your brand in such a way that your core message appeals to them. I could write a book about it. But in the end, you just have to do it!