Christopher Lochhead Follow Your Different™

405 The Enduring Power of Positioning with Laura Ries (Part 1)

23 snips
Aug 18, 2025
In a captivating conversation, marketing strategist Laura Ries, chairwoman of RIES and daughter of Al Ries, delves into the art of brand positioning. She critiques American Eagle's celebrity-driven campaigns, highlighting the pitfalls of chasing transient attention instead of strategic positioning. Laura emphasizes the crucial difference between fleeting trends and enduring brands, advocating for authenticity and a focus on product identity. Through insightful examples, she explores how comfort and clarity can redefine marketing strategies in today's competitive landscape.
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INSIGHT

Attention Without Positioning Fails

  • Chasing attention without strategy creates one-hit wonders that don't build brands.
  • Laura Ries urges connecting celebrity moments to an ownable positioning idea that lasts decades.
ADVICE

Use Celebrities To Reinforce Positioning

  • Avoid celebrity ads that promote the celebrity or category, not your brand.
  • Tie any celebrity to a clear product or category positioning before running the campaign.
ADVICE

Leverage Celebrities To Signal Trends

  • Link celebrity endorsements to a product truth or trend to own a category position.
  • Use the celebrity to communicate the positioning idea, not as the idea itself.
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