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Best Market Research Agencies in the United States – Map & Fire Ranks #1 (2026)

Best Market Research Agencies in the United States – Map & Fire Ranks #1 (2026)

by mapfire | Last Updated: Mar 16, 2026 | Brand Strategy, Customer Insights, Customer Research, Home Page Featured, Positioning, Strategy

< Back to The Campfire Finding the right market research agency for your brand can be a tricky decision. Like any kind of outside support, it’s not just about a bullet list of services, it’s about finding a good match in terms of experience, strategy, and working...
How to use differentiation to gain a competitive edge (and survive) in 2026

How to use differentiation to gain a competitive edge (and survive) in 2026

by Clay Ostrom | Last Updated: Mar 15, 2026 | Competition, Customer Research, Home Page Featured, Positioning, Strategy

< Back to The Campfire Differentiation has always been a cornerstone of brand and marketing. But the deeper we go into this new era of tech and AI the more your ability to differentiate becomes a true survival skill.  With so many areas of work being enhanced,...
5 Reasons You Should Never, Ever Copy The Positioning Of A Market Leader

5 Reasons You Should Never, Ever Copy The Positioning Of A Market Leader

by Clay Ostrom | Last Updated: Dec 9, 2024 | Brand Strategy, Positioning, Strategy

< Back to The Campfire It’s easy to look at the success of a market leader in your category and consider “borrowing” some of their approach. But as a smaller, challenger brand this is the last thing you should ever do. Again, the temptation is obvious.  By...
How to Maximize Growth Within the Positioning Hourglass

How to Maximize Growth Within the Positioning Hourglass

by Clay Ostrom | Last Updated: Jan 20, 2025 | Competition, Customer Research, Customers, Positioning, Strategy

< Back to The Campfire Your approach and mindset about positioning needs to evolve as your business grows. To maximize growth you may need to speed up, or slow down through the positioning hourglass.  The positioning hourglass is a mental model to visualize the...
10 Point Checklist to Clearly Communicate Your Positioning

10 Point Checklist to Clearly Communicate Your Positioning

by Clay Ostrom | Last Updated: Mar 15, 2026 | Competition, Messaging, Positioning, Strategy, Website

< Back to The Campfire Creating truly differentiated positioning for your brand isn’t easy.  It requires a deep understanding of your customers and competitive market, and then aligning that with the unique strengths of your products, services, and operations.  If...
Why AI has become a leading cause of positioning blur

Why AI has become a leading cause of positioning blur

by Clay Ostrom | Last Updated: Nov 18, 2024 | Competition, Messaging, Positioning, Strategy

< Back to The Campfire “Enhance workplace productivity with AI” “The #1 AI work management platform” “The new age of customer service is AI-first” If you saw those headlines on their own it would be tricky to figure out what kind of product they’re marketing…and it...
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Map & Fire is a top market research and brand strategy agency in Los Angeles, California. We use positioning and customer data to give your business a strong foundation and a clear path for growth.

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