Think like the world’s most competitive brands.

A practical playbook to out-solve competitors, win the decision moment, and build a brand that can’t be ignored.

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Stop differentiating.

Start dominating.

Learn the strategy that separates the winners.

For decades, brands obsessed over being “different.” Customers don’t buy “different.” They buy the brand that solves their problem: fast, clearly, and better than anyone else. De-Positioning™ starts where decisions actually begin: a pain point becomes urgent. Grounded in behavioral science, this book gives leaders a practical system to align product, messaging, and go-to-market around the Hero Pain Point, so you win the choice at the exact moment it’s made. If you’re ready to build a company that thinks and competes like the market’s best, this is your new operating system.

Turn customer pain into product market power.

Create one message people remember (and act on).

Align leadership on a sharp, testable strategy.

Capture decision-moment demand without a spending war.

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The competitive system used by market leaders.

This book reveals six principles used by the world’s most competitive brands to turn customer pain into power.

Champion The Customer

Customers choose the brands that understand them best

Be a Hero Pain Solver

Find the trigger that moves buyers from inertia to action

Know Competitors Weaknesses

Reframe the category so rivals look misaligned with the real problem

Own One Big Idea

De-positioning™ depends on sticking with a singular story

Cohere or Die

No alignment, no future – no exceptions

Integration Wins. Lack of It Kills

Once trust is lost, it’s nearly impossible to win back

“CEOs don’t lose sleep over brand awareness — they lose  sleep over competitors taking market share. This book gives them the one move that flips the game: make rivals irrelevant by de-positioning them off their own ground.” 

Jon Bond Marketing pioneer, co-founder of Kirshenbaum Bond & Partners, and co-author of “Under the Radar”

A complete system you can put to work on Monday.

Foundations

The science behind ultra-relevance  and decision moments. 

Hero pain point

Field methods to uncover the  real buying trigger.

Strategy

Craft a de-positioning™ frame that  out-solves, not out-shouts.

Narrative & Messaging

One-memory story that creates  default choice.

Visual positioning

Design for distinctiveness in  service of relevance.

Playbooks & metrics

How to run, test, and scale the system.

Built for leaders who own growth.

Create a company that competes like a category leader. 

Align teams on one sharp, scalable strategy. 

Turn features into decision-driving value.

Make strategy visible, memorable, and repeatable.

Think like a champion.
Win like one.

Vague “differentiation”

A single promise that wins choices

Feature lists

Pain-point solutioning that converts

Fragmented messaging

One narrative everyone can use

Awareness obsession

Demand capture at the decision moment

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What leaders are saying.

“The most successful brands today don’t just meet consumer needs – they outmaneuver their competitors in the process. I had the privilege of working alongside Todd for years, applying his groundbreaking framework to some of the world’s finest luxury brands. The true magic lies in finding a unique space for your brand – one that honors its heritage while connecting powerfully to the future and staying deeply relevant to your audience. What Todd offers is more than strategy; it’s cultural shaping that drives business impact. By sharing his insights, Todd is redefining the boundaries of branding and marketing, inspiring a new generation to build the businesses of tomorrow – and ensuring that iconic brands remain timeless.”

Kamel Ouadi Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Committee Member at Devialet; former Chief Digital Officer at Louis Vuitton; and Founder of NOWNESS

“De-positioning explains why brands built on ‘vibes’ and other marketing fluff are doomed to fail. Brands that solve customer frustrations ignored by competitors, on the other hand, are well set for success.”

Dan White Marketing expert, brand consultant, illustrator, author of The Smart Branding Book, and former Head of Expertise at Kantar

“I’ve always appreciated people that aren’t distracted by the happenings of the day – the industry trends, reports and gossip. Deep thinkers interested in offering a different path forward for those they serve. Todd is one of those people, critically dedicated and constructively present.”

Flavia Barbat Editor-in-Chief of Brandingmag and creator of the ‘editorial marketing’ mindset

“De-positioning is a simple and fool-proof way to keep a brand moving hard against any competitor. Simple, yes, but not always easy. In this book, Todd Irwin has broken de-positioning down into clear steps any brand can take. If your brand is ready to go head-to-head with your competitors, this is the guide that can help you win.”

Nancy Hill former President and CEO of the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A’s); Founder of Media Sherpas; and former CEO of Marcus Thomas LLC

Meet the author, Todd Irwin.

Todd Irwin is the Founder and CSO of Fazer, a global brand strategy firm known for helping companies thrive in brutally competitive markets. After decades watching traditional positioning fail in the real world, he built a new model: De-Positioning™. This methodology has helped Fortune 500s and disruptive startups turn customer pain into competitive advantage—and leave rivals behind. Todd has led work with Coca-Cola, Verizon, and Mercedes-Benz, and advised growth teams across tech, finance, healthcare, and consumer. His mission: help brands think—and win—like the world’s most competitive companies.

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FAQ

Is De-Positioning™ just positioning by another name?

No, positioning focuses on defining a brand and where it fits in a market. De-Positioning™ is a strategic offensive move that subtly reframes competitors’ weaknesses to make them irrelevant. Positioning asks “how can we stand out?” while De-Positioning™ asks “What’s the customer’s biggest pain, and how can we solve it better than anyone else?” It’s a sharper framework built for saturated markets where traditional brand positioning leads to parity, not competitive advantage.

Will this work for B2B and B2C?

Yes, this approach applies to consumer and business markets. However, as with any brand strategy, it will need to be adapted to B2B’s longer decision cycles, multiple stakeholders, and different purchase logic.

Does this conflict with Ehrenberg‑Bass Institute’s thinking?

No, Ehrenberg-Bass focuses on broad reach, mental availability, and growth through mass penetration rather than narrow positioning. De-Positioning™ zeros in on the most critical customer pain point and subtly makes competitors appear less relevant. While it may seem at odds with Ehrenberg-Bass’s call to “be present across many buying situations,” Fazer’s approach aligns the two, ensuring De-Positioning™ still supports wide category entry and broad-market reach.

Can my team implement without an agency?

Yes, if your team has the right capabilities, you can implement De-Positioning™ without an agency. Proper De-Positioning™ requires the ability to deeply analyze customer pain points, understand competitor weaknesses, and craft a clear strategic platform that aligns messaging, experience, and operations. The methodology is rigorous and requires discipline. If your team lacks brand strategy expertise, bringing in a partner such as Fazer will ensure it is executed properly.