Brand positioning
Every brand artefact sits on three layers:
EVIDENCE (what best customers actually did and said)
→ STRATEGY (positioning, the chosen Job, brand definition - derived from
evidence in a fixed order)
→ EXPRESSION (copy, name, visual identity - expressing the strategy).
Work downward only; critique upward - a fault at one layer usually
originates one layer up. Filling in a template with assumptions is the failure
mode every framework here exists to prevent. Whenever a downstream decision
feels arbitrary, the upstream step was skipped: go back up.
Standing rules (hold for the whole session)
- Never output the classic one-sentence positioning-statement template
("For [target], X is a [category] that…") as a positioning deliverable. It
records assumptions instead of testing them; deliver a positioning canvas
instead. The sales-story category line (messaging.md §2) is a downstream
expression of already-derived positioning and is allowed.
- Derive positioning strictly in order: competitive alternatives → unique
attributes → value (with proof) → who cares most → market category →
optional trend. Starting anywhere else imports a frame customers don't
share.
- "Competitor" means what best customers would actually do if the product
vanished - often a spreadsheet, manual work, an intern, or nothing.
- Real data or declared hypothesis. Ask the user for customer research,
reviews, or support transcripts before generating; never invent customer or
competitor facts. If no evidence exists, label every customer-dependent
element a hypothesis and name the research step that would validate it.
- Research ecstatic recent customers only; questions open-ended and about
past behaviour, never opinion or hypotheticals. Customers' verbatim words
become the copy.
- One at a time: one prioritised Job, one gateway value first, one big
idea with at most three key messages - a coursed meal, not a buffet.
- Strategy before expression: agreed meaning before any name, mark, or
copy is shown. Naming and architecture sit between strategy and design -
keep the narrative unlocked until design talks back.
- Strategy scenarios and design routes come as options: 3-5 genuinely
distinct scenarios or 2-3 routes differentiated by idea - never one
option, never a safe→radical spectrum, never merged mash-ups. This governs
brand-strategy and design-route deliverables (brand-identity.md); the
positioning canvas is a single evidence-derived artefact, and page copy
derives singly from the master messaging document (taglines are the
exception - messaging.md §7).
- Provable claims only. "Easy to use" and "great support" are values in
disguise: find the provable mechanism behind them or drop the claim.
- Positioning is a pricing and roadmap decision, and the customer story ≠
the investor story (disruption language frightens buyers). Flag when
marketing runs positioning without the business owner, and state adoption
ownership in every deliverable.
Routing
| Task involves… |
Read |
| Positioning or repositioning, market category choice, competitive alternatives, target segment, positioning canvas, repositioning triggers |
references/positioning.md |
| Planning or analysing customer/JTBD research, interview scripts, survey design, choosing the priority Job |
references/customer-research.md |
| Homepage/landing/sales copy, value propositions, messaging docs, the sales story, taglines, tone of voice |
references/messaging.md |
| Brand strategy/definition: purpose, values, personality, big idea; naming, rebrand or logo briefs, visual identity direction, brand architecture, design route selection |
references/brand-identity.md |
Most real tasks read two files: the layer being produced plus its upstream
layer (copy → messaging + customer-research; positioning → positioning +
customer-research; brand identity → brand-identity + positioning). Multi-part
tasks work the table top-down.
Critique mode
When reviewing an existing artefact:
- Identify its layer and run the Critique checklist at the end of the
matching reference. Findings cite the violated criterion, the observed
evidence, and a concrete fix, ranked by severity - never general
impressions or taste.
- Trace one layer upstream: does this copy rest on a chosen Job and a
positioning? Does this positioning rest on real alternatives from real
customers? A missing upstream layer is the primary finding.
- If no research sits behind the review, say so: the verdicts are structural,
not empirical. The stranger test - pitch it to someone with no context and
watch where they stall - is the cheapest empirical check.
Symptom cues for routing: prospects can't parse the product, price pressure,
long sales cycles → positioning.md. Page converts poorly or reads generic →
messaging.md. Doubts about a name, mark, or architecture → brand-identity.md.
Scope boundary
This is not a channel or growth-tactics playbook: tactics without customer
insight is petri-dish marketing. If asked for tactics, first check a
prioritised Job exists; if not, route to customer-research.md.
1---
2name: brand-positioning
3description: >-
4 Product positioning, customer-research-driven messaging and website copy, and
5 brand identity briefs, informed by the work of April Dunford, Georgiana
6 Laudi, Claire Suellentrop, Michael Johnson and Alina Wheeler. Use when
7 positioning or repositioning a product, choosing a market category or target
8 segment, planning customer or JTBD research, writing or rewriting homepage,
9 landing-page or sales copy, a value proposition or tagline, naming a product
10 or company, briefing a rebrand, logo, visual identity or brand architecture
11 decision, or critiquing existing positioning, messaging, a name or a brand
12 against expert criteria. Not for ad campaigns, SEO, or channel/growth
13 tactics.
14---
15
16# Brand positioning
17
18Every brand artefact sits on three layers:
19
20> **EVIDENCE** (what best customers actually did and said)
21> → **STRATEGY** (positioning, the chosen Job, brand definition - derived from
22> evidence in a fixed order)
23> → **EXPRESSION** (copy, name, visual identity - expressing the strategy).
24
25Work **downward** only; critique **upward** - a fault at one layer usually
26originates one layer up. Filling in a template with assumptions is the failure
27mode every framework here exists to prevent. Whenever a downstream decision
28feels arbitrary, the upstream step was skipped: go back up.
29
30## Standing rules (hold for the whole session)
31
321. **Never output the classic one-sentence positioning-statement template**
33 ("For [target], X is a [category] that…") as a positioning deliverable. It
34 records assumptions instead of testing them; deliver a positioning canvas
35 instead. The sales-story category line (messaging.md §2) is a downstream
36 expression of already-derived positioning and is allowed.
372. **Derive positioning strictly in order**: competitive alternatives → unique
38 attributes → value (with proof) → who cares most → market category →
39 optional trend. Starting anywhere else imports a frame customers don't
40 share.
413. **"Competitor" means what best customers would actually do if the product
42 vanished** - often a spreadsheet, manual work, an intern, or nothing.
434. **Real data or declared hypothesis.** Ask the user for customer research,
44 reviews, or support transcripts before generating; never invent customer or
45 competitor facts. If no evidence exists, label every customer-dependent
46 element a hypothesis and name the research step that would validate it.
475. **Research ecstatic recent customers only**; questions open-ended and about
48 past behaviour, never opinion or hypotheticals. Customers' verbatim words
49 become the copy.
506. **One at a time**: one prioritised Job, one gateway value first, one big
51 idea with at most three key messages - a coursed meal, not a buffet.
527. **Strategy before expression**: agreed meaning before any name, mark, or
53 copy is shown. Naming and architecture sit *between* strategy and design -
54 keep the narrative unlocked until design talks back.
558. **Strategy scenarios and design routes come as options: 3-5 genuinely
56 distinct scenarios or 2-3 routes differentiated by idea** - never one
57 option, never a safe→radical spectrum, never merged mash-ups. This governs
58 brand-strategy and design-route deliverables (brand-identity.md); the
59 positioning canvas is a single evidence-derived artefact, and page copy
60 derives singly from the master messaging document (taglines are the
61 exception - messaging.md §7).
629. **Provable claims only.** "Easy to use" and "great support" are values in
63 disguise: find the provable mechanism behind them or drop the claim.
6410. **Positioning is a pricing and roadmap decision**, and the customer story ≠
65 the investor story (disruption language frightens buyers). Flag when
66 marketing runs positioning without the business owner, and state adoption
67 ownership in every deliverable.
68
69## Routing
70
71| Task involves… | Read |
72|---|---|
73| Positioning or repositioning, market category choice, competitive alternatives, target segment, positioning canvas, repositioning triggers | [references/positioning.md](references/positioning.md) |
74| Planning or analysing customer/JTBD research, interview scripts, survey design, choosing the priority Job | [references/customer-research.md](references/customer-research.md) |
75| Homepage/landing/sales copy, value propositions, messaging docs, the sales story, taglines, tone of voice | [references/messaging.md](references/messaging.md) |
76| Brand strategy/definition: purpose, values, personality, big idea; naming, rebrand or logo briefs, visual identity direction, brand architecture, design route selection | [references/brand-identity.md](references/brand-identity.md) |
77
78Most real tasks read two files: the layer being produced plus its upstream
79layer (copy → messaging + customer-research; positioning → positioning +
80customer-research; brand identity → brand-identity + positioning). Multi-part
81tasks work the table top-down.
82
83## Critique mode
84
85When reviewing an existing artefact:
86
871. Identify its layer and run the **Critique checklist** at the end of the
88 matching reference. Findings cite the violated criterion, the observed
89 evidence, and a concrete fix, ranked by severity - never general
90 impressions or taste.
912. Trace one layer upstream: does this copy rest on a chosen Job and a
92 positioning? Does this positioning rest on real alternatives from real
93 customers? **A missing upstream layer is the primary finding.**
943. If no research sits behind the review, say so: the verdicts are structural,
95 not empirical. The stranger test - pitch it to someone with no context and
96 watch where they stall - is the cheapest empirical check.
97
98Symptom cues for routing: prospects can't parse the product, price pressure,
99long sales cycles → positioning.md. Page converts poorly or reads generic →
100messaging.md. Doubts about a name, mark, or architecture → brand-identity.md.
101
102## Scope boundary
103
104This is not a channel or growth-tactics playbook: tactics without customer
105insight is petri-dish marketing. If asked for tactics, first check a
106prioritised Job exists; if not, route to customer-research.md.
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