Below, we’ve included examples of brand positioning strategies from our own client work, alongside the most common positioning approaches used by successful brands.
Brand positioning is what makes your business different in the minds of your audience.
Whether you’re launching a new brand, entering a competitive market or considering a rebrand, a clear positioning strategy helps define who you are, who you’re for and why customers should choose you over the alternatives.
At Think, we’ve helped organisations across sectors refine their positioning through strategic research, branding, messaging and digital experiences. From charities and manufacturers to technology businesses and professional services firms, we’ve seen first-hand how a well-defined brand position can transform perception and support long-term growth.
Your brand positioning should act as a guiding compass for every marketing and communication decision you make, influencing everything from your visual identity and website content to social media activity and campaign planning.
The outcome is a clear brand positioning statement that communicates what you offer, who you help and the value you provide.
A simple brand positioning statement framework
One of the simplest ways to define a brand position is:
For (target audience) who (need or challenge), we provide (product or service) that (key benefit or outcome).
A positioning statement doesn’t need to be public-facing, but it should provide a clear internal reference point for your brand, marketing and communications.
If you’re developing or refining your proposition, our brand strategy services can help identify what makes your organisation distinctive and relevant to your target audience.
Questions to assess your current brand positionBefore reviewing examples of brand positioning strategies, ask yourself:
- Who are we trying to reach?
- What audience need are we addressing?
- What products or services do we offer?
- What can we credibly claim that competitors cannot?
- What makes our organisation different?
- Is our current positioning helping or hindering growth?
A positioning strategy should provide clarity and consistency across every customer touchpoint. The stronger your understanding of your audience, competitors and proposition, the easier it becomes to make confident branding and marketing decisions.
Real brand positioning examples
The most effective brand positioning strategies are built around real customer challenges and business objectives. Below are examples from Think projects, showing how different positioning approaches can help organisations stand out, attract the right audiences and achieve measurable results.
1. Repositioning a consultancy brand for growth
Positioning type: Problem-solution positioning
Brand positioning isn’t always about creating something new. Sometimes it’s about changing how customers perceive the value you already provide.
The challenge
Agecko had evolved beyond its origins as a waste broker. As legislation, sustainability requirements and ESG expectations increased, the business was increasingly acting as a strategic consultancy, helping organisations improve compliance, reduce environmental impact and support circular economy initiatives.
However, its brand identity and messaging no longer reflected this reality. The existing brand lacked the flexibility, clarity and authority needed to communicate Agecko’s consultancy-led approach, making it harder to differentiate in a crowded market.
Our approach
We repositioned Agecko around a clear consultancy proposition, shifting the focus from waste management to strategic waste stream consultancy.
This included developing a stronger brand strategy, clearer messaging and a distinctive visual identity designed to communicate expertise, innovation and sustainability leadership. Core proposition statements such as “Changing your waste, not you” and “Bringing innovation to total waste” helped articulate Agecko’s value in a way customers could quickly understand.
The repositioning extended beyond the brand identity into a completely redesigned website, ensuring every customer touchpoint reinforced the new market position.
The result
The repositioning helped Agecko communicate a clearer, more differentiated proposition while strengthening engagement across digital channels.
Following launch:
- #1 keyword rankings increased from 1 to 12
- Top 10 keyword rankings increased from 7 to 20
- Form submissions increased by 140%
- Facebook impressions increased by 183%
- LinkedIn page clicks increased by 105%
Most importantly, the business now appears as a consultancy-led sustainability partner rather than a traditional waste broker, helping attract better-aligned customers and supporting future growth.
Related project: Waste not, want not. A bold brand reposition and website built for consultancy leadership.
2. Creating an emotional position for a charity
Positioning type: Customer-centric positioning
Successful brands don’t just communicate what they do; they communicate how they make people feel. For charities in particular, positioning needs to build trust, empathy and emotional connection with the audiences they support.
The challenge
Once Upon a Smile is Greater Manchester’s only children’s bereavement charity, providing emotional and practical support to families following the death of a parent, sibling or child.
While the charity’s services had a significant impact on the families it supported, its brand identity and website no longer reflected the warmth, compassion and positivity at the heart of the organisation. The existing website was difficult to navigate, making it harder for families to find help at a time when they needed it most.
Our approach
Although initially appointed to redesign the charity’s website, we identified a wider opportunity to strengthen the brand itself.
Through a brand audit, we developed a refreshed identity that better reflected the experience families receive from Once Upon a Smile. Inspired by the colourful, welcoming spaces within Sidley House and the creativity of the children who use its services, we introduced a brighter colour palette, friendly typography and a playful illustration system designed to feel approachable, supportive and uplifting.
The website was then rebuilt around clearer user journeys, ensuring visitors could quickly access the support and information they needed.
The result
The new brand and website more accurately represent the heart of the charity and the positive impact it has on bereaved families.
The refreshed identity has since been rolled out across fundraising materials, annual reports, presentations, social media assets, event collateral and supporter communications, creating a more consistent and recognisable brand experience.
Most importantly, the charity now has a brand and digital presence that reflects the compassion, warmth and support it provides every day.
Related project: Trafford-based Once Upon a Smile launches new brand and website to reflect the heart of their charity.
3. Repositioning a traditional supplier for a new audience
Positioning Type: Competitor-Based Positioning
Repositioning can help a business move beyond outdated market perceptions and compete for more valuable opportunities.
The challenge
Manchester Brick Specialists (MBS) approached us with an ambition to evolve beyond its reputation as a domestic brick-matching supplier and attract architects, property developers and construction professionals.
Although the business had extensive expertise and a strong reputation within the industry, its positioning didn’t fully communicate the depth of knowledge, reliability and specialist support that set it apart from competitors. The challenge was to shift perception from product supplier to trusted brick supply partner.
Our approach
We developed a new brand positioning centred around MBS’s specialist expertise, industry knowledge and ability to deliver where other suppliers could not.
The rebrand included a new visual identity inspired by traditional brick-maker stamps, helping communicate quality, craftsmanship and trust. Beyond the visual identity, we repositioned the business around a clearer value proposition and developed a marketing strategy focused on its key audiences, including architects, developers, contractors, merchants and local authorities.
By creating detailed audience personas, tailored messaging and a content strategy aligned to industry needs, we ensured every touchpoint reinforced MBS’s position as a knowledgeable and dependable partner.
The result
The repositioning helped MBS significantly increase its visibility, engagement and market presence within the construction sector.
Results included:
- 1,000% increase in website traffic
- 300% increase in share of voice
- 200% increase in search rankings
- 435 website conversions
- 60% increase in branded searches
- Significant growth in social media reach and engagement
Most importantly, the business successfully evolved from a niche brick-matching provider to a recognised partner for architects, developers and construction professionals across the UK.
Related project: A brand overhaul to improve perception for Brick Specialists.
Common types of brand positioning strategy
While every brand is unique, most positioning strategies fall into one of several established categories. Many businesses combine multiple approaches depending on their audience, market and objectives.
4. Value-based positioning
Value-based positioning focuses on offering customers the best balance between price and benefit.
This strategy is often used in highly competitive markets where affordability influences purchasing decisions. Brands using this approach typically emphasise cost-effectiveness, practicality and return on investment.
5. Quality-based positioning
Quality-based positioning centres on superior craftsmanship, durability, reliability or performance.
Businesses adopting this strategy often seek to justify premium pricing by demonstrating expertise, attention to detail and consistently high standards.
6. Benefit-based positioning
Benefit-based positioning focuses on a specific outcome or advantage that customers receive.
Rather than promoting features, brands highlight the real-world benefits their products or services deliver and the problems they solve.
7. Customer-centric positioning
Customer-centric positioning is built around the needs, motivations and challenges of a specific audience.
By demonstrating a deep understanding of customers, businesses can create stronger emotional connections and build long-term loyalty.
8. Competitor-based positioning
Competitor-based positioning differentiates a brand from alternative providers in the market.
The objective isn’t to criticise competitors but to clearly communicate the unique strengths, expertise or value that make your organisation the preferred choice.
9. Lifestyle positioning
Lifestyle positioning aligns a brand with a particular set of values, aspirations or ways of living.
This approach helps businesses create an emotional connection with audiences who identify with a particular lifestyle or mindset.
10. Niche positioning
Niche positioning focuses on serving a highly specific market segment.
Rather than appealing to everyone, brands concentrate on becoming the leading choice for a clearly defined audience with specialist needs.
11. Innovation-based positioning
Innovation-based positioning highlights new ideas, technologies or approaches.
Businesses using this strategy position themselves as forward-thinking leaders, continually improving products, services and customer experiences.
Heritage and tradition-based positioning
Some brands differentiate themselves through their history, reputation and long-standing expertise.
Heritage positioning can help create trust, credibility and confidence, particularly where experience and reliability are highly valued.
Problem-solution positioning
Problem-solution positioning focuses on addressing a specific customer challenge.
This strategy is particularly effective when customers clearly understand the problem they need to solve and are actively seeking the right solution.
Cultural positioning
Cultural positioning aligns a brand with a broader movement, cause, community or shared belief system.
When authentic, this approach can help brands build strong emotional engagement and create deeper connections with their audience.
