The corruption in the business world that ushered in the first decade of the new millennium resulted in a heightened consumer demand for a greater sense of honesty, sincerity and openness from providers of goods and services. That consumer demand became popularly identified by words such as authenticity and transparency.

We all know we can find a way to logically justify most any emotionally based decision we make. So why would we think that others would make decisions based primarily on logic? Very few decisions based on logic backfill with an emotional connection to that decision. Challenger Brands realize that customers would prefer to make an emotional connection with the product they are contemplating buying or the company they are considering doing business with. Customers prefer to buy from someone they like and admire. Customers seek relationships. Challenger Brands realize this and accommodate their customers with emotionally based appeals that kindle that relationship. Challenger Brands know that brand strategies that tell compelling stories are far more effective than a recitation of mere facts, no matter how compelling those facts might be. In the long run, Challenger Brands know that the emotional connection they make with their customers will far out last any short-term gain they might make with an appeal to logic. Challenger Brands know that those emotionally based stories will become word of mouth pass-alongs that will add exponentially to their outreach strategies. Are you a Challenger Brand?

Many companies produce excellent products offering substantial value to their customers and prospective customers. That value connection with those customers can be an extremely strong draw. Yet those same companies often times overlook the power of the values connection with those same customers. If the price/value comparison of a contemplated product purchase is pretty much a push between competing products, Challenger Brands know that a customer will seek out a deeper reason to choose one product over another. And Challenger Brands realize that often times that additional reason is the far more emotional values based connection that the company has with the customer. The obvious environmental or “green” movement is a typical example of just such an emotional values based connection. But to demonstrate a far more subtle, but no less effective, values based connection we’re going to turn to our favorite pastime, baseball. What baseball fan can forget the first time they saw the former Boston Red Sox star outfielder Johnny Damon appear in a New York Yankees uniform sans what had become his trademark long, shaggy hair that always protruded from underneath his cap. His new, much shorter hair style didn’t diminish his value contribution to the Yankees but his more conservatively shorn hair did match the values connection the Yankees management strives to offer its fan base. Say what you want about the Yankees part of the values connection that the Yankees offer their fans is the steeped-in-tradition pride of appearance projected by any player who is lucky enough to don the Yankee pinstripe. The Yankees are a perennial Challenger Brand on and off the field. And, further proof that Challenger Brands, large and small, understand the true value of values driven customer connections. What are your company’s values? Are you a Challenger Brand?

Challenger Brands realize we no longer exist as simply neighborhoods, cities, states or even a country of consumers. The Internet has clearly established the entire world as a community of consumers. As such, Challenger Brands recognize that demographic information, once the hallmark of focused marketing, has taken a back seat to the much more powerful psychographic profiling. Challenger Brands still value the tangible aspects of categorizing their target audience as to absolutes such as age, gender, race, income, marital status, or other such attributes of demographics, especially where specific services offered require a more focused local approach to marketing. However, Challenger Brands realize that the less tangible characteristics of psychographic profiling such as the passions, creeds, and value system of their target audience is of far greater importance in appealing to the hearts, minds and souls of their current as well as future customers. Are you a Challenger Brand?

Developing a sustainable brand takes much more than the efforts of a single visionary. It takes a team of visionaries. To paraphrase author Jim Collins (Good to Great) it’s not only about putting the right people on the bus with you but ensuring they’re also in the right seats. In light of our beloved San Francisco Giants first SF world series victory, we prefer the corresponding baseball analogy – don’t ask your MVP catcher to play shortstop. Challenger Brands know they have to field the right team filling the positions for which they are best suited if the brand is to really challenge. Challenger Brands also recognize they don’t necessarily have to field a team of all-stars. Just having dedicated people in the right positions who share the vision will usually produce greater results than a team of potential prima donnas. But once they have assembled the best team possible, Challenger Brands realize they have to empower that team to become stewards of the brand within their respective areas of responsibility. And Challenger Brands also realize that once the team is assembled it is important to get out of the way and trust the team players to do what they do best. Then, in the immortal words of the late President, Ronald Reagan, leaders of Challenger Brands need to simply continue to “trust but verify.” Are you a Challenger Brand?

Challenger Brands realize that brand is not about a product, no matter how loudly the product development folks may try to lay claim. Challenger Brands realize that brand is not the company itself, no matter how forcefully the folks in the C-Suite might believe it to be true. Challenger Brands realize that brand is not about past accomplishments, no matter how great they may have been and regardless of how much the marketing folks might like to tout them. Challenger Brands recognize that their customers ultimately determine the essence of the brand based on their personal experiences with it. As such, Challenger Brands recognize that they must find a way to make personal connections with their customers, potential customers, and employees all of which have differing motivational sensitivities. Challenger Brands find a way to convey their brand’s ethos in way that resonates with those to whom it is targeted. Challenger Brands rise to the occasion. Challenger Brands realize it’s not that challenging to follow one’s passion. As Winston Churchill once said, “I am easily satisfied with the very best.” Are you a Challenger Brand?

One of the basic tenets of marketing is “find a need and fill it.”  Another tenet is find a need that is already being full-filled and improve on the offering.  The classic recent example of the latter activity is Apple.  Apple did not invent the MP3 player, they invented the iPod, which became the definitive product choice in the MP3 category.  Apple did not invent the smart phone, they invented the iPhone, which has become “the” smart phone.  Apple did not invent the e-reader, they invented the i-Pad, which is quickly becoming another one of the many follow on success stories produced by Apple.  Challenger brands realize that being the first to market is not the only path to success.  Challenger brands, regardless of their size, realize that being best to market is ultimately of far greater significance.  Challenger brands strive for perfection from the onset but also understand the art of perfecting. Are you a challenger brand?

Shocking as it may be to hear, your customer’s focus is on his customer not your company or your product or service. In the demanding world of sales and marketing this reality is all too often overlooked.  But Challenger brands realize that the best way to get what they want is to help their customers get what they want.  Especially in a challenging economy, challenger brands know that their customers are desperate to make a real connection with their customers.  As such, challenger brands focus on ways to help their customers accomplish their goal.  Challenger brands look for ways in which their product or service fits within the overall offering their customers are offering their customers.  Challenger brands seek ways to help enhance that connection their customers have with their customers.  Challenger brands recognize that only when the ultimate end user of a product or service is happy will those who played a part in that end user satisfaction stand to profit.  Therefore, Challenger brands look for the opportunities within the opportunity.  Challenger brands are not afraid to offer up in order to receive in return.  Challenger brands engage in the challenges of their customers and help them enhance their overall offering.  Challenger brands feed the chain reaction.  Are you a Challenger brand?

Don’t misunderstand us, brand awareness is a good thing, especially when it is meaningful brand awareness.  That’s what sets challenger brands apart. Challenger brands are not competing for mere brand awareness.  Challenger brands realize that they cannot compete dollar for dollar in the pure pursuit of brand awareness.  Their larger and more formidable competitors will outgun them every time on pure brand awareness.  But there is far more to being a challenger brand than mere awareness.  Challenger brands seek a relevant connection with their customers.  A relevant connection that resonates with those customers in a manner that makes it difficult for established brands to compete.  Challenger brands seek to engage their customer in a manner in which the customer finds most relevant, not by some formulaic, cookie-cutter approach.  Challenger brands find ways to make that connection unfold for the customer in a way that is most meaningful for the customer, thus establishing a deeper bond with that customer that paves the way for a longer-term relationship.  Challenger brands are by nature engaging brands.  Challenger brands are the guerilla fighters of the marketing world. Are you a challenger brand?

All too frequently, companies confuse social media marketing and social networking as being one in the same.  Challenger Brands recognize the subtle yet vast difference between the two and capitalize on both.  Challenger Brands know that social media is a way to share information with a broad audience and often times use social networking tools such as Facebook, Twitter, etc. Challenger Brands recognize that social networking is truly an active engagement with like-minded individuals with similar interests who bond as a community. Challenger Brands realize that, like other media, (television, radio, print) social media is a system that disseminates information to an audience.  Challenger Brands know that social networking is a process of two-way communication where congregations of like-minded people join together to share experiences in a conversational style such as town-hall meetings.  Challenger Brands recognize that active participation in social networking has a somewhat measurable return-on-investment through increased web traffic.  Challenger Brands also realize that social media requires a little more faith and belief in the “brand buzz” factor.  Challenger Brands know that social media is hard work and requires time.  Likewise, Challenger Brands know the value to be gained from an exponentially growing network of brand loyalists through social networking.  Challenger Brands know and appreciate the difference between social networking and social media marketing and position their brands accordingly.  Are you a Challenger Brand?