Brand Positioning: The Art of Making Your Brand Stick
(For the Right Reasons)

If there’s one thing that “Brands and BullS&*t: Excel at the Former and Avoid the Latter“by Bernhard Schroeder makes crystal clear, it’s this: a brand without positioning is like a braai without fire—it’s just raw potential, sitting there, doing absolutely nothing. And yes, we read a book, well actually we listened to it on audio but still, we like to share what we have learnt with our clients.

Brand positioning isn’t just about looking cool or throwing together a catchy slogan; it’s the process of creating a clear, compelling, and memorable place for your brand in the minds (and hearts) of your target audience. Do it well, and you’re golden. Do it badly (or not at all), and you’ll be another faceless name in a crowded marketplace.

At Fort Hartley, we believe in building brands the correct way, even if it takes longer and pushes your to think about your business in entirely new ways. To us,  building brands that actually mean something is our mission. We’ve been around long enough to see the rise of social media and younger generations pick up the ability to create incredible content on their phones (that rival larger production houses) in a matter of minutes.

But simply creating content without the structure of strategized brand guidelines, is just content for content sake,. The principles of branding and brand positioning are fundamental to long term business success. We’ve seen our fair share of good ideas that are poorly executed fail miserably, and poor ideas that are incredibly adaptive turn into successes. And the common denominator is the approach towards brand positioning. So with that in mind, let’s get into what brand positioning really is, why it’s a game-changer, and how to do it without falling into the “marketing BS” trap .

Brand positioning is about owning a space in your customer’s mind. It’s the difference between someone saying, “I need running shoes” and “I need Nike.” It’s what makes people think of Woolworths for quality, Checkers for savings, and The Flying Pig for farm-fresh pork (see what we did there?).

In Brands and BullSt**, Schroeder argues that positioning isn’t just a fancy marketing concept—it’s the foundation of everything a brand does. It dictates how you advertise, who you target, and even what products or services you develop. Without clear positioning, brands end up doing random acts of marketing, throwing money at campaigns that don’t resonate and wondering why customers aren’t biting.

The goal? To differentiate your brand from the competition and create loyalty, trust, and preference. When done right, brand positioning leads to better customer retention, increased profitability, and a stronger market presence.

Schroeder lays it out plainly: positioning isn’t about clever taglines—it’s about strategy. At Fort Hartley, we follow four key steps to help businesses position their brands effectively.

Step 1: Identify Your Target Market (Hint: It’s Not Everyone)

Trying to appeal to everyone is a surefire way to appeal to no one. The first step in brand positioning is figuring out who you actually want to reach.

Are you targeting high-income professionals who care about exclusivity and luxury? Budget-conscious students looking for affordability? Tech-savvy engineers who value innovation? Schroeder emphasizes the importance of segmenting your audience based on demographics, behavior, needs, and desires. If you don’t know who you’re speaking to, your brand voice will be as lost as a tourist trying to order bobotie in Paris.

Step 2: Analyze the Competition (Because You’re Not the Only One in the Game)

It’s one thing to know who you are—it’s another to know who else is fighting for the same audience. Competitive analysis isn’t about copying what others are doing; it’s about finding the gaps and opportunities.

Schroeder suggests a brutally honest look at the competition:

1. What do they do well?
2. Where are they failing?
3. How are they positioned in the market?
4. What customer pain points are still being ignored?

This process helps brands figure out how to stand out rather than blend in. If your competitors are all about price, maybe you should focus on quality. If they’re all about speed, maybe you should emphasize personalization.

Step 3: Define Your Value Proposition (What Makes You, YOU?)

Now comes the real magic—creating a value proposition that explains why customers should choose you over everyone else. And no, “we offer great service” is NOT a value proposition.

A strong value proposition needs to be:

• Relevant – Does it solve an actual problem or meet a need?
• Unique – Does it differentiate you from competitors?
• Credible – Can you back it up with proof?

In Brands and BullSt**, Schroeder stresses the importance of avoiding fluff. A good value proposition should be short, sharp, and customer-focused. Instead of saying, “We are the best coffee shop in Cape Town,” say “We serve ethically sourced, locally roasted coffee that supports South African farmers.”

See the difference? One is a generic claim, the other tells a story people can connect with.

Step 4: Communicate Your Positioning Consistently (Everywhere, All the Time)

A brand’s positioning isn’t just about what you say—it’s about how you show up. Your logo, colors, fonts, messaging, website, advertising, and customer experience all need to align with your positioning.

Schroeder argues that the best brands create a feeling. Think of how Apple’s minimalist design makes their products feel premium or how Coca-Cola’s branding is built around happiness and nostalgia. It’s about creating a consistent story that customers recognize instantly.

Your brand isn’t just what you sell—it’s how you make people feel. That’s the difference between branding and bullsh*t.

If you think brand positioning is a once-off exercise, think again. Markets shift, customer preferences change, and brands need to adapt or become irrelevant. What worked yesterday might not work tomorrow—just ask Blackberry, MySpace, or any business that ignored changing customer needs.

That’s why positioning isn’t just about getting it right once—it’s about constantly refining your message based on customer feedback, market trends, and competitor shifts. Schroeder is clear: the best brands listen, learn, and evolve.

At Fort Hartley, we help brands not just position themselves well today but stay relevant tomorrow. Because at the end of the day, a brand that stands still is a brand that gets left behind.

Brand positioning isn’t just another marketing buzzword—it’s what separates brands that win from those that fade into the background. By following Schroeder’s no-nonsense approach—cutting out the fluff, defining your audience, analyzing competitors, and communicating consistently—businesses can create powerful, memorable brands that customers trust.

At Fort Hartley, we don’t do random acts of marketing—we build real brand strategies that drive growth, loyalty, and long-term success. So, if you’re ready to position your brand for the right reasons and in the right way, drop us a message and let’s set up a time to discuss your brand. We promise you’ll speak to a human and not a chat bot.