Why Your Business Needs an Enemy

In Beliefs & Philosophy, Brand Differentiation, Purpose, Mission & Values

There is no shortage of superhero movies in theaters today; movies filled with stories of heroes and villains. In these movies we see superheroes opposing their villain, their enemy. The villain believes one thing to be true, and the hero stands firmly in opposition to that truth. We’ve shared previously how beliefs are some of the most important things you can advertise or market. Watching these superhero films, we may not always agree with everything the superhero does but we still get behind their character because of their beliefs and because we strongly disagree with those of their enemy.

Does your company have an enemy? Your customers may find it hard to know what you stand for if they don’t know what you stand against. We’re all attracted to those that share the same or similar beliefs and we’re even more attracted to those who share our enemy. We like to know that we’re not alone in our defiance of an injustice.

Right now there are many brands that have clearly stated who their enemy is, and have offered a solution or counter to the way things are done.

In this video, Barry Chandler shares examples of these brands and how you too can identify your enemy.

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Barry Chandler is the co-founder of Storyforge, a strategy company focused on helping companies discover their purpose, forging their unique story, building preference and driving margin.

Barry has been building award winning businesses since launching his first company in Ireland in 2003. His last company, a digital marketing agency, was acquired in 2012 by a California-based publicly traded entertainment company which then hired him as Chief Marketing Officer. It is his belief that the greatest brands seek to change the world, improving the lives of their associates, partners, and customers.