Your brand is defined by what you are not

Brand managers always seem to be working on defining what they want their brand to be. Unfortunately this process often misses out a critical definition: what you are not.

I believe the biggest mistake a brand can make is to try to be everything to everyone. This usually results in being nothing to no one.

According to The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding by Al and Laura Ries, the power of a brand is inversely proportional to its scope.

Or in other words, you should aim to do less, better.

While travelling through Peru recently, I came across this bar in Cusco called Norton Rats Tavern that clearly understands how to define its brand by what it is not.

Just two words on their sign, “No Disco” screams brand louder than anything else they could say.

In those two words they differentiated themselves from all the other combined bar/restaurant/nightclub/hotels in Cusco. They have specialised, which makes their brand so much stronger.

So if you are ever in Cusco, Peru make sure to check out Norton Rats. They have great pub food and a broad range of beers.

Just don’t expect a dance.

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