How to Position Your Brand With a Metaphor

Phrases like "cloud computing," "organic foods," or "inbound marketing" are packed with meaning. The pairing of words creates a metaphor that shapes understanding and expectations. And this approach is equally effective for positioning your brand.

Metaphors are powerful communication devices. They act as a lens to get people to consider ideas or concepts in new ways.

For example, Salesforce.com is known for cloud computing. Whole Foods is known for organic foods. HubSpot is known for inbound marketing. The addition of a metaphor adds context to the brand. It creates a mental picture that helps to make your brand easier to understand, easier to talk about, and easier to share.

Place the Metaphor First

Where you place a metaphor influences its impact on your brand. A metaphor placed too late is basically useless.

Whole Foods, for example, leads with the phrase "natural and organic foods." This is their lens. Everything they do positions off natural and organic, and this shapes our understanding of the brand and what they deliver.

The positioning of "natural and organic foods" is important. If Whole Foods were to say, "We are a grocery store with over 365 locations globally. We sell over 3,300 products, and they are all natural and organic." The impact of the metaphor is lost.

Metaphors are only persuasive in branding when you lead with them. If you place the metaphor at the middle or end of your argument they have little to no impact.

Repetition Creates Comfort

Using your metaphor once isn't enough either. Repeat it over and over again. The more you use it the more effective it will become.

Salesforce.com incorporates "cloud" into all aspects of its brand. You see an image of a cloud in their logo. Each of its product suites are labeled with cloud: Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Marketing Cloud, and Analytics Cloud.

Salesforce leads with the cloud metaphor and repeats it consistently, and that repetition creates comfort and trust. We know where the brand fits in the marketplace and what it delivers.

A good way to understand the power of repetition is to consider your favorite song. How many times have you listened to the song? Probably hundreds or thousands of times. This repetition is powerful. You know the lyrics and the tune, but more importantly the song is intrinsically linked with moments in your life. The song has been with you repeatedly, and that's part of what makes it so appealing and comfortable for you.

The same is true for your brand. The more you use the metaphor, the more it will be associated with your brand.

Own the Metaphor

A metaphor shapes a brand, and can be an integral part of your positioning positioning. "Your brand is …"

Fill in the blank. What metaphor best describes your brand? What phrase or description do you want your customers to associate with your brand?

Choose your metaphor and own it. Lead with it and repeat it over and over again.