Refuse to compete
Matt Davies ⚡️
Align your leaders. Craft A strategy. Stand out. Grow. Change the world. Executive advisor, consultant and strategist helping maverick business leaders shape the future. Toward Better.
“We don’t do that.”
It sounds like a wall. But for smart brands, it’s a door - one that opens to focus, growth, and differentiation.
If your brand strategy doesn’t tell me who you don’t serve or what you won’t do, then it’s not a strategy. It’s just a shopping list with no basket.
Too many brands chase relevance in all directions. The result? A blurry image in the minds of customers. Vague. Forgettable. Optional. Real brand power doesn’t come from doing everything - it comes from doing less, better, and with ruthless intent.
This is why positioning is the sharpest strategic tool in the box.
Good positioning is exclusionary by design. Think of McDonald’s. It serves the hungry, the hurried, the casual. It doesn’t try to woo the fine-dining crowd. That’s not a failure - it’s precision. And that precision scales.
When you say, “We don’t do that,” you’re not closing doors — you’re building walls around your value, and inviting in the right people with clarity and conviction.
But here's the real kicker: you don’t need to beat your competitors. In fact, the best brands often step out of the race entirely.
We’re taught to compete - to win share, outsmart rivals, dominate categories. But that’s not strategy. That’s insecurity wearing a spreadsheet.
Great brands don’t attack. They ascend.
They find a unique place to stand and serve - and then own it completely. They’re not threatened by competitors; they admire them. They understand that markets work more like ecosystems than battlefields. And in ecosystems, the most successful species aren’t the most aggressive - they’re the most fit for purpose.
So if you’re building a brand - especially in emerging or chaotic spaces - ask yourself a better question:
Who are we not building this for?
That’s not about turning people away. It’s about building something so clear, so resonant, that it speaks directly to the people who matter most - and lets everyone else self-select out.
Because that’s what strong brands do. They don’t compete. They commit.
Brand strategy isn’t about fighting harder. It’s about choosing smarter. It’s about refusing to get pulled into someone else’s game. And instead, designing your own.
Start there. And grow with intent.
I help companies to translate and synthesize ideas, goals, and ambitions into tangible processes to create a unique branding experience. Say hi!
2moGreat insight, Matt! I’m not sure “conclusions” is the right word for what you’ve shared, but I absolutely agree — and even relate — to much of what you said. That said, and with all due respect to the concept, I’d like to slightly expand the core idea we usually refer to as positioning. I’d call it essence —not to sound clever haha— but to emphasize that a brand shouldn’t only clarify who it is, but also what emotional legacy it aims to leave behind. In my view, the most meaningful —and emotionally promising— path is the one rooted in commitment. Thanks for sharing this with the community. I truly appreciate it.
Resume Writing & Conversational Copywriting that delights, informs & persuades to pre-pave sales, land a job interview or whatever ROI makes your ❤️ happy | Former: McCann, RAPP, CBS News (NYC) | Truth Well Told
2moPositioning is everything. No need to compete. Be the True You Get paid to be you. Go through a branding process. As Claude Hopkins says, "Advertising is no lazy man's field."
🦩 I help brands Stand The Flock Out™ w/ strategic branding & distinctive design. 👋 Founder of JUST Creative™ ✊ Founder of Brand Builders Alliance™ 🚀 Let's Flamin-go!
2moCommit with intent. ✊
Positioning Strategist | NEW BOOK: The Strategic Enemy
3moIt takes courage to say no - more brands need to do it.
Brand & Comms Leader | Built Global Playbooks for PMI, Apple, Mattel, HSBC | Human-First, AI-Ready | Culture Shaper, Results-Focused | Published Author
3moLately, I’ve been cringing at the TRY-TOO-HARD culture taking over this space. The constant humblebrags, recycled carousels, relentless DMs and salesy email funnels... exhausting. What happened to letting the work speak? To deep relationships with clients that actually do the talking? To creating with intent instead of chasing algorithms? Yes, if you’ve earned a moment — celebrate it, share the real learning, we’ll cheer with you. But the overexposed, always-on content treadmill? Not it. Less noise. More nerve. Let’s bring the craft back. Thanks for the clarity punch, Matt — this hit right.