Observation

Over the years, I’ve taught design and strategy at a number of institutions.
Recently, I gave my students a deceptively simple challenge:

Design a brochure.

But not just any brochure—this was to be a loss leader.
A strategic door-opener for a fictionalized printing company.
The goal wasn’t to showcase services. It was to position the company for growth.

The assignment read:‍

“Your brochure must do more than inform. It must strategically introduce a refined design language that supports brand growth without alienating the company’s existing clientele.”

It’s one of those projects that reveals how well someone understands what strategy is—and where so many businesses get it wrong.

Here’s what stood out

I had the students review 15+ real-world competitors in the printing space.
And what we found was revealing:

  • Every brand talked about longevity.
  • Every brand emphasized community.
  • Every brand mentioned quality and sustainability.
  • And not a single one mentioned price.

On the surface, this seems like differentiation.
But in execution?
They all looked and sounded the same.

This is what happens when positioning is misunderstood.

We repeat the same claims in the same language with the same visuals—
and assume the audience will just feel the difference.

But as Rory Sutherland said:

“The job of the designer is that of a translator—to play with the source material of objective reality in order to create the right perceptual and emotional outcome.”

In other words:
Every brand has a story.
But if you place it on the wrong shelf,
in the wrong language,
in the same packaging as everyone else—
no one will read it.

Positioning comes first. Design follows.

It’s your why.
Your signal.
The promise you’re making—and every element must point to it with intention.

I had my students build teams around the position they believed the printer was truly offering.
Then asked them to translate that position into a design system—
each one bringing a new interpretation,
but working from the same foundation.

Because strategy isn’t about being louder.
It’s about being understood.

Final word

If you own a business, don’t be a rooster standing in a room full of hens.
Be a peacock.

Say something real.
Back it up with clarity.
And let your execution point to a position worth remembering.