Overview

Revealing the most effective brand strategy that nobody talks about. What is the secret brand strategy that the likes of Apple and Starbucks have adopted, but are reluctant to let the world know about? What is it that drives customers to choose your brand over the others? This book, by a leading branding practitioner and strategist, introduces the powerful strategy of De-Positioning that has been used by dominant brands. De-Positioning is a branding strategy that addresses the most important things customers are looking for when they are on a buying journey: desires and pain points. In essence, De-Positioning is when you highlight a “positive feature” about a brand, and this positive feature shines a “negative light” on the competition. It highlights what your company can do for your customers that competitors cannot while appealing to their deepest needs, concern and desires. Your competitor's weaknesses create the customer need or pain - a gaping hole in the market. You fill that gap by providing a solution that relieves the customers' pain and satisfies their expectations. By “de-positioning” your competitor, you gain advantage in your marketplace. AUTHOR: Todd Irwin is the founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Fazer, a leading New York-based brand strategy and creative agency, with focus in delivering competitive brand strategies. SELLING POINTS: . A powerful – but secret - branding concept that is behind the success of some of the world's most dominant brands. . How to create growth for your company and brand by de-positioning your competitors. . Enlightening reading for anyone involved in marketing and branding. . Written by a leading practitioner, strategist and thinker in today's world of branding and marketing.

Full Product Details

9781917391184

Table of Contents

Reviews

""Irwin is a master brand strategist. He shows how brands, when viewed as mental real estate in consumers' minds, deliver competitive advantage and enormous financial value for firms. Brilliant."" - Erich Joachimsthaler, Ph.D., post-doctoral fellow at Harvard Business School, CEO of Vivaldi Group, and co-author of the landmark book Brand Leadership ""The most successful brands today don't just meet consumer needs - they outmaneuver their competitors in the process. I had the privilege of working alongside Todd for years, applying his groundbreaking framework to some of the world's finest luxury brands. The true magic lies in finding a unique space for your brand - one that honors its heritage while connecting powerfully to the future and staying deeply relevant to your audience. What Todd offers is more than strategy; it's cultural shaping that drives business impact. By sharing his insights, Todd is redefining the boundaries of branding and marketing, inspiring a new generation to build the businesses of tomorrow - and ensuring that iconic brands remain timeless."" - Kamel Ouadi, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Committee Member at Devialet; former Chief Digital Officer at Louis Vuitton; and Founder of NOWNESS ""De-positioning explains why brands built on 'vibes' and other marketing fluff are doomed to fail. Brands that solve customer frustrations ignored by competitors, on the other hand, are well set for success."" - Dan White, marketing expert, brand consultant, illustrator, author of The Smart Branding Book, and former Head of Expertise at Kantar ""De-Positioning is a simple and fool-proof way to keep a brand moving hard against any competitor. Simple, yes, but not always easy. In this book, Todd Irwin has broken de-positioning down into clear steps any brand can take. If your brand is ready to go head-to-head with your competitors, this is the guide that can help you win."" - Nancy Hill, former President and CEO of the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A's); Founder of Media Sherpas; and former CEO of Marcus Thomas LLC ""I've always appreciated people that aren't distracted by the happenings of the day - the industry trends, reports and gossip. Deep thinkers interested in offering a different path forward for those they serve. Todd is one of those people, critically dedicated and constructively present."" - Flavia Barbat, Editor-in-Chief of Brandingmag and creator of the 'editorial marketing' mindset ""Todd has spent decades working on brands to help define their unique opportunity for growth. His de-positioning methodology has turned conventional brand planning on its head. It is THE playbook for any marketer in a highly contested space looking to break through to their most valuable customers."" - Kamran Asghar, Global CEO and Cofounder of Crossmedia; Adweek's 2022 Media Executive of the Year ""Todd Irwin is a strategist's strategist. He doesn't just break the rules - he tears them down and builds something sharper, smarter and more brutally effffffective in their place. In a marketing world drowning in buzzwords, clichés and crowdsourced conventional wisdom, Todd's relentless clarity and contrarian courage are precisely what brands today desperately need. His pioneering idea of de-positioning is more than a strategic edge - it's a competitive revolution. Todd shows that brands don't win by politely differentiating; they dominate by clearly defining and exposing competitors' weaknesses. This book is not just a marketing handbook; it's a fiercely argued manifesto, a provocative call to arms, and an indispensable guide to winning by standing against."" - Craig Bagno, Managing Director Global Strategic Excellence, McCann Worldgroup; and global strategy lead for Coca-Cola, Mastercard and IBM ""De-Positioning is a refreshing take on brand strategy that really hits home. Instead of chasing trends or flashy marketing gimmicks, Irwin shows how solving real customer problems is the key to lasting success. He breaks it down into six clear principles, backed by real examples like Apple, and makes it feel totally doable. If you're serious about making your brand stand out and actually stick, this book's a must-read."" - Greg P. Licciardi, author of Achieving the Holy Grail of Marketing; Vice President of Partnerships at Worth Media Group; and Adjunct Professor of Marketing at Fordham and Seton Hall Universities

""The most successful brands today don't just meet consumer needs - they outmaneuver their competitors in the process. I had the privilege of working alongside Todd for years, applying his groundbreaking framework to some of the world's finest luxury brands. The true magic lies in finding a unique space for your brand - one that honors its heritage while connecting powerfully to the future and staying deeply relevant to your audience. What Todd offers is more than strategy; it's cultural shaping that drives business impact. By sharing his insights, Todd is redefining the boundaries of branding and marketing, inspiring a new generation to build the businesses of tomorrow - and ensuring that iconic brands remain timeless.""- Kamel Ouadi, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Committee Member at Devialet; former Chief Digital Officer at Louis Vuitton; and Founder of NOWNESS ""De-positioning explains why brands built on 'vibes' and other marketing fluff are doomed to fail. Brands that solve customer frustrations ignored by competitors, on the other hand, are well set for success.""- Dan White, marketing expert, brand consultant, illustrator, author of The Smart Branding Book, and former Head of Expertise at Kantar ""De-Positioning is a simple and fool-proof way to keep a brand moving hard against any competitor. Simple, yes, but not always easy. In this book, Todd Irwin has broken de-positioning down into clear steps any brand can take. If your brand is ready to go head-to-head with your competitors, this is the guide that can help you win.""- Nancy Hill, former President and CEO of the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A's); Founder of Media Sherpas; and former CEO of Marcus Thomas LLC ""I've always appreciated people that aren't distracted by the happenings of the day - the industry trends, reports and gossip. Deep thinkers interested in offering a different path forward for those they serve. Todd is one of those people, critically dedicated and constructively present."" - Flavia Barbat, Editor-in-Chief of Brandingmag and creator of the 'editorial marketing' mindset ""Todd has spent decades working on brands to help define their unique opportunity for growth. His de-positioning methodology has turned conventional brand planning on its head. It is THE playbook for any marketer in a highly contested space looking to break through to their most valuable customers.""- Kamran Asghar, Global CEO and Cofounder of Crossmedia; Adweek's 2022 Media Executive of the Year ""De-Positioning is a refreshing take on brand strategy that really hits home. Instead of chasing trends or flashy marketing gimmicks, Irwin shows how solving real customer problems is the key to lasting success. He breaks it down into six clear principles, backed by real examples like Apple, and makes it feel totally doable. If you're serious about making your brand stand out and actually stick, this book's a must-read.""- Greg P. Licciardi, author of Achieving the Holy Grail of Marketing; Vice President of Partnerships at Worth Media Group; and Adjunct Professor of Marketing at Fordham and Seton Hall Universities

Author Information

Todd Irwin is the founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Fazer, a leading New York-based brand strategy and creative agency, with focus in delivering competitive brand strategies. “The most successful brands today don’t just meet consumer needs – they outmaneuver their competitors in the process. I had the privilege of working alongside Todd for years, applying his groundbreaking framework to some of the world’s finest luxury brands. The true magic lies in finding a unique space for your brand – one that honors its heritage while connecting powerfully to the future and staying deeply relevant to your audience. What Todd offers is more than strategy; it’s cultural shaping that drives business impact. By sharing his insights, Todd is redefining the boundaries of branding and marketing, inspiring a new generation to build the businesses of tomorrow – and ensuring that iconic brands remain timeless.”- Kamel Ouadi, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Committee Member at Devialet; former Chief Digital Officer at Louis Vuitton; and Founder of NOWNESS   “De-positioning explains why brands built on ‘vibes’ and other marketing fluff are doomed to fail. Brands that solve customer frustrations ignored by competitors, on the other hand, are well set for success.”- Dan White, marketing expert, brand consultant, illustrator, author of The Smart Branding Book, and former Head of Expertise at Kantar   “De-Positioning is a simple and fool-proof way to keep a brand moving hard against any competitor. Simple, yes, but not always easy. In this book, Todd Irwin has broken de-positioning down into clear steps any brand can take. If your brand is ready to go head-to-head with your competitors, this is the guide that can help you win.”- Nancy Hill, former President and CEO of the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A’s); Founder of Media Sherpas; and former CEO of Marcus Thomas LLC   “I’ve always appreciated people that aren’t distracted by the happenings of the day – the industry trends, reports and gossip. Deep thinkers interested in offering a different path forward for those they serve. Todd is one of those people, critically dedicated and constructively present.” - Flavia Barbat, Editor-in-Chief of Brandingmag and creator of the ‘editorial marketing’ mindset   “Todd has spent decades working on brands to help define their unique opportunity for growth. His de-positioning methodology has turned conventional brand planning on its head. It is THE playbook for any marketer in a highly contested space looking to break through to their most valuable customers.”- Kamran Asghar, Global CEO and Cofounder of Crossmedia; Adweek’s 2022 Media Executive of the Year   “De-Positioning is a refreshing take on brand strategy that really hits home. Instead of chasing trends or flashy marketing gimmicks, Irwin shows how solving real customer problems is the key to lasting success. He breaks it down into six clear principles, backed by real examples like Apple, and makes it feel totally doable. If you’re serious about making your brand stand out and actually stick, this book’s a must-read.”- Greg P. Licciardi, author of Achieving the Holy Grail of Marketing; Vice President of Partnerships at Worth Media Group; and Adjunct Professor of Marketing at Fordham and Seton Hall Universities

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