Is Your Brand Disruptor-Proof?

These days, it’s not easy being a market leader or even an established player. Once upon a time, if you had a dominant market position you could count on holding the lead for years, if not decades. Pesky startups might nip at your heels, but it would be years until they had the wherewithal to pose a credible challenge.

No longer. Today, all you need is a good idea (versus an actual track record) to attract serious funding. And increasingly, startups are using the proceeds from early stage investors for brand building as much as product development.

Consider an early example, Uber. The company’s app launched in 2010. By the start of 2011, it had raised $49 million in venture funds. A key use of funding? Making the Uber brand a ubiquitous presence in an expanding range of geographies. And fewer than four years later, Uber was valued north of $18 billion.

So for established players, it’s never been more important to keep one eye on the rearview mirror. But equally critical is keeping their brands fresh and relevant. In fact, a strong brand can be as powerful a defense against upstarts as an established, or even superior, product.

Consider how GE, one of the world’s best-known brands, had to adapt its longstanding “We Bring Good Things to Life” slogan into “Imagination at Work” and more recently, “Building a world that works.” With each evolution, the brand became more streamlined and modern. Equally as important, it signaled that GE was not resting on its laurels in an industry teeming with aggressive and disruptive new competitors.

As an increasing number of new companies move from idea to brand at lighting speed, even greater numbers of established players will need to counter with brands that connect with audiences who may be less impressed by market share than they are eager to experience the “next big thing.” This starts with research to understand customer perceptions and needs as well as the changing competitive landscape. Increasingly, it also means understanding the customer journey, from discovery through consideration to decision, and developing content-driven strategies for engaging with them at each stage.

The challenge is daunting, but the starting point remains the same: understanding the customer. Staying obsessed with what matters most to the people who matter most to you is the sure-fire way to maintain a leadership position, even in the face of innovative new disruptors.

Want to discuss making your brand disruptor-proof? Let’s talk.