The Category Makes the Brand: Unpacking Brand Hierarchy in Category Design

Most small ‘e’ entrepreneurs (plumbers, painters, mechanics, etc.) intuitively understand branding hierarchy in category design.For proof, look at any local sign for a dentist.BIG FONT: DENTISTSmall font: Hannah Mills, DDS.Or, how about your local landscaping company?BIG FONT: LANDSCAPINGSmall font: Taylor’s Landscaping Since 1991Or how about your plumber? What does the side of their truck say?BIG FONT: PLUMBERSmall font: O’Connor Plumbing. Call us today!Category first, brand second.But larger companies often struggle.It’s shocking how many MBAs, entrepreneurs, founders, and very smart investors prioritize the brand BEFORE the category. Our name. Our logo. Our team. Our “mission statement.”The category makes the brand, not the other way around.People intuitively understand that category comes first.When someone asks you out to eat, what’s the first question you ask? What kind of food is it? Mexican? Korean? Italian? You need to know what it is (the category) before you care about who makes it (the brand) or learn what problem it solves (the marketing).Brand marketing is something we do to customers.Category marketing is something we do for customers. Before you even think about branding, your company needs a category to market itself within. This idea has become misunderstood over the years, so let us clarify. As we shared in our mini-book The Big Brand Lie, you DO NOT want to market within an EXISTING market. Instead, you want to create a NEW and DIFFERENT category/market, which you now have free reign to market WITHIN.And yet, many people put the brand before the category. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.categorypirates.news/subscribe