The Brand Strategy Field Guide
Grow your brand with the best, most actionable hub of free branding guides, articles, templates, case studies, exercises, examples, and original research available anywhere.🔥
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Latest Article
How to use differentiation to gain a competitive edge (and survive) in 2025
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.
Brand Direction
Brand Direction Resource Guide:
Purpose, Mission, Vision, and Values
Topics Include:
- Core Purpose Statement
- Vision Statement
- Mission Statement
- Core Values
Brand Direction Articles:
How To Write Brand Core Values That Your Team Remembers And Rallies Around
Whether your brand needs to create Core Values from scratch or give an existing set a refresh, here’s a 3-step exercise to craft a set of values your team can embrace, remember, and rally around.
How To Make Sense (And Use) Of Your Brand’s Core Purpose, Vision, Mission, and Values
Developing strategic statements and summaries for the direction of your brand is an essential process for every business.
Brand Archetypes
Brand Archetypes Resource Guide:
Brand Archetype Definitions
Topics Include:
- The 12 Archetypes
- Archetype Characteristics
- Archetype Colors
- Brand Examples
Brand Archetypes Articles:
How To Use Brand Archetypes To Create An Authentic Voice That Customers Trust
By thinking of your brand as a character it makes it much easier to communicate in a clear, authentic voice that your customers will engage with and trust.
How To Create Clear, Consistent Content With Brand Archetypes
One of the hardest parts of creating content for a business is developing a consistent style.
Key Messages
Key Message Resource Guide:
Key Messages
Topics Include:
- Key Message Definition
- Key Message Exercises
- Brand Examples
- Key Questions
Key Message Articles:
How To Write Key Messages That Use Your Customer’s Own Words
The ultimate goal for your key messages is to align your brand’s unique value with the needs of your customers. And do it in a way customers can easily understand.
5 Quick Questions To Audit And Upgrade Your Key Marketing Messages
There’s a reason why writing effective marketing messages is so hard. Within the span of a couple short sentences your messages have to summarize the entire essence of what your brand provides.
Brand Positioning Strategy
Brand Positioning Process and Guide:
Brand Positioning Framework
Topics Include:
- 3-Step Process
- Positioning Exercises
- Competitive Differentiation
- Brand Positioning Examples
Brand Positioning Articles:
Competitive Positioning: How To Make Your Brand Stand Out In A Sea Of Sameness
Brands that take a safety-in-numbers approach may avoid the problem of being dismissed by customers, but it’s likely to lead to an even worse outcome — being totally forgettable.
How To Find Your Brand’s Position With A Competitive Landscape Map
The right visual can be a huge asset to quickly convey information about your brand's position.
Customer Jobs to Be Done
Customer Jobs Resource Guide:
Jobs To Be Done
Topics Include:
- Definition and Examples
- Grading Jobs
- Job Story Format
- Implementing Jobs
Customer Jobs Articles:
One Simple Truth About How Customers Think That Will Make Your Marketing Stronger
The most dangerous misconception that founders and marketers can have is the belief that anyone, including their most loyal customers, care about their product or service.
The Brand Strategy And Customer Research We Used To Get Our Client 59% More Paid App Conversions
To highlight the immediate benefits of investing in your brand strategy we can look at a recent case study with one of our clients.
Brand Tone of Voice
Tone of Voice Resource Guide:
Tone of Voice
Define the emotional qualities that align your communication with your customers.
Topics Include:
- Tone of Voice Definition
- Brand Tone Exercises
- Brand Examples
- Key Questions
Tone of Voice Articles:
The Benefits Of Talking To Your Customers Like Real Human Beings
Creating marketing messages robs people of their ability to speak like human beings.
How Your Brand Can Benefit From Having A Sense Of Humor
Humor has the magical ability to ease difficult situations and extract more joy out of good ones.
Branding Case Studies
Branding Case Study Resource Guide:
Well Known Brand Strategy Case Studies
Topics Include:
- Visual Identity
- Brand Positioning
- Key Messages & Tone
- Marketing Content
Original Research
Hidden Dangers of the “Pretty Good” Brand
See the impact on growth for businesses with “Pretty Good” brands.
Marketing Messages Ideal Length & Content
Optimize your headlines, subheadings, and CTAs based on our original research
More Branding Guides
PESTEL Analysis
The external factors that impact and shape your brand’s ability to grow.
Topics Include:
- 6 Core Categories
- Analysis Exercise
- PDF Template
- Brand Examples
Brand Strategy FAQ
Definitions and exercises for the most common brand questions.
Topics Include:
- Brand Identity, Name
- Brand Personality, Voice
- Brand Story
- Brand Promise
Brand and Marketing Articles (Explore The Full Blog)
5 Reasons You Should Never, Ever Copy The Positioning Of A Market Leader
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.
How to Maximize Growth Within the Positioning Hourglass
To maximize growth as your business evolves you may need to speed up, or slow way down through the positioning hourglass.
10 Point Checklist to Clearly Communicate Your Positioning
Use our 10 point diagnostic to ensure your positioning crosses the bridge from strategic-concept to communicated-reality.
Why AI has become a leading cause of positioning blur
If you obscure your brand's value with talk of AI just on its own you’re more likely to blend in than to stand out.
Find out exactly where your brand can win with SmokeLadder
How you can use our app SmokeLadder to analyze your positioning and find places to win in the market.
11 Tips (Plus Graphics) On How To Strengthen Your Brand Positioning Strategy
With a topic as complex and nuanced as your brand positioning strategy we need good visuals to avoid getting lost.
How To Use Brand Positioning (Not AI) To Avoid Becoming Perfectly Average
As best practice trends and generative AI increase the competitive noise, it's critical to differentiate using brand positioning strategy.
Which Key Messaging Strategy Is Right For Your Brand: Value Or Differentiation?
There’s a well discussed idea in branding that key messages should focus on the customer benefits of an offering rather than its features. But like any good rule, there are always exceptions.
How To Write Key Messages That Use Your Customer’s Own Words
The ultimate goal for your key messages is to align your brand’s unique value with the needs of your customers. And do it in a way customers can easily understand.
Branding Research: How To Do It And What Business Leaders Believe About Using It
How to use branding research to gain a deep understanding of your customers and market position.
How To Start Your Demand Generation Marketing Using Brand Positioning
A simple 3 step guide on how to start demand generation marketing by leveraging your brand positioning.
Why Small Brand Changes Can Create Angry Customers (See, Wordle)
How should your brand manage changes to make sure it doesn't cause frustration with customers? The online game Wordle provides a good lesson in that delicate balance.
Branding and Marketing Fundamentals
One-sheets packed with definitions, exercises, and examples for each core section of your brand
Big Picture
Where is your business headed and how will you get there?
Topics Include:
- Core Purpose
- Vision Statement
- Core Values
- Goals and Objectives
Customers
How well do you really know your customers’ needs and priorities?
Topics Include:
- Target Customer
- Jobs to be Done
- Job Stories
- Elements of Value
Competition
Does your company own a unique strategic position compared to your competitors?
Topics Include:
- Competitive Set
- Competitive Landscape
- Strategy Canvas
- Competitive Analysis
Offering
Do you meet your customers’ most important needs in a unique way?
Topics Include:
- Capabilities
- Unique Value Proposition
- Problem / Solution Fit
- Value Chain
Branding
Do your customers (and your team) know exactly what you stand for?
Topics Include:
- Mission Statement
- Tone of Voice
- Brand Archetypes
- Brand Identity
Marketing
Are you tapping into your customers’ emotions with your communication?
Topics Include:
- Keywords
- Key Messages
- Content Strategy
- Social Media Strategy