*Why being different matters more than ever*

Most new products fail. They try to be everything to everyone. They copy what already exists.

The graveyard of forgotten brands and offers is huge.

These products all made the same mistake. They positioned themselves as "me-too" alternatives. They didn't create their own unique space.

Here's the truth:

... consumers don't want another generic option. They want something different. Something that solves their problem in a new way.

Think about your daily decisions. Netflix or Hulu? iPhone or Samsung? Uber or Lyft?

Your brain processes thousands of marketing messages every day. It has built-in filters. It categorizes things. It simplifies. It ignores anything that seems too similar.

This means successful brands must fight for space in your mind. Not space on store shelves. Space in your thoughts.

The secret is simple. Positioning isn't what you do to your product. It's what you do to your customer's MIND.

For example, I heard a radio ad for a new online travel site. Their promise was "one site to book all your travel needs". What's wrong with that? There are already many sites that do this same thing, and consumers are in the habit of going to them. There is no big benefit to go to this new site. And yet this is what the majority of new offers do.

Instead, what this new travel site should have done is figure out what their business offered that was different or special than its competition. That could have led to promises like "speak with a travel expert 24/7 and immediately at no additional cost" or "the site where you get an extra amenity at every hotel for free".

This is why most new products struggle. They don't find what makes them different.

Some companies completely changed how people think about their products. These stories show the power of smart positioning.

In 2001, MP3 players were clunky and confusing. Companies like Creative made the Nomad. They focused on boring tech specs. Storage space. Battery life. File types.

Apple did something different.

They didn't call the iPod another MP3 player. They created a new category: the personal lifestyle device.

Their slogan was perfect: "1,000 songs in your pocket."

No tech talk. Just a simple promise that people could understand.

The ads were brilliant too. Dancing silhouettes with white earbuds. Bright colors. The iPod became a fashion statement.

By 2007, Apple sold over 100 million iPods. They changed how people listen to music forever.

For decades, Old Spice was the aftershave your grandfather used. Young men thought it was old-fashioned and boring.

The brand was dying.

Then they got smart about positioning.

In 2010, they launched "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" campaign. Isaiah Mustafa became the new face of Old Spice.

The ads were funny. Over-the-top. They made fun of typical "manly" commercials while still being manly.

This worked for two reasons:

- Young men liked the humor

- Women often buy grooming products for men

Sales doubled in one year. Old Spice became America's top men's body wash.

This is the best repositioning story ever.

Marlboro started in the 1920s as a "mild" cigarette for women. It had a tiny market share.

In the 1950s, Philip Morris completely changed everything.

They created the Marlboro Man. A tough cowboy. Weather-beaten face. Independent spirit. Pure American masculinity.

This wasn't just new ads. It was a complete brand makeover.

The results were amazing. By the 1970s, Marlboro was the world's bestselling cigarette. They had 30% of the U.S. market by 1980.

One repositioning campaign changed everything.

Modern companies have mastered positioning. They find gaps in crowded markets. Then they claim ownership of specific customer needs.

When Airbnb started in 2008, they could have been just another budget option. "Rent a spare room to save money."

That would have limited them to cheap travelers only.

Instead, they repositioned the whole idea of travel.

Their campaign was "Belong Anywhere." They weren't selling cheap rooms. They were selling experiences.

Stay like a local. Live in unique places. Be part of a community.

This let them compete on experience, not just price.

Today, Airbnb has over 7 million listings worldwide. They're worth over $100 billion.

Procter & Gamble launched Febreze in 1996. It was made to eliminate bad odors. Pet smells. Cigarette smoke. Cooking odors.

The positioning was too narrow. Only people with odor problems bought it.

P&G repositioned Febreze as an everyday freshness solution.

New ads showed people using it everywhere. In cars. On fabrics. Throughout their homes. As part of regular cleaning.

This broader positioning worked. Febreze now makes over $1 billion per year.

Understanding positioning is just the start. Great marketing has three equal parts.

You must understand your customers' minds.

- What do they really want?

- What are they thinking right now?

- What stops them from buying?

- What emotions drive their choices?

Without this knowledge, your marketing will fail.

You must know what makes your product truly different.

Not just features on paper. Real differences that matter to customers.

This research often reveals positioning opportunities your competitors missed.

This is where great salesmanship meets good writing.

You translate insights into messages that make people want to buy.

Here's the key: All three parts are equally important.

Great writing can't fix bad psychology or weak research. Many talented writers fail because they skip the foundation work.

Today's marketplace is brutal. Every industry faces more competition. Customers have shorter attention spans.

Brands that don't establish clear positions end up competing only on price. That's a race to the bottom.

The companies that win ask different questions:

- How can we be different? (Not just better)

- What unique benefit can we own?

- What do customers want that they're not getting?

These questions lead to breakthrough positioning. They create advantages competitors can't copy.

Consumers remember brands that claim their own territory. They forget brands that fight for someone else's space.

The question isn't whether your business needs better positioning. The question is: Will you define your position before your competitors define it for you?