The Value of Strategic Enemies: Marketing Lessons from Laura Ries on Marketing / And
Season six of Marketing / And is in full swing, and one question AMA CEO and podcast host Bennie F. Johnson loves to ask always lands with impact:
“What advice would you give to marketers?”
In this episode, Bennie sits down with Laura Ries, author of The Strategic Enemy, to explore why focus is everything, why category creation beats incremental differentiation, and why the strongest brands don’t just stand for something—they stand against something.
Since 2022, Ries has carried forward her father Al Ries’s legacy as chairwoman of Ries, helping Fortune 500 companies and ambitious startups win through bold, focused positioning. Across more than three decades, her work has reinforced a powerful truth: consumers don’t remember brands that try to please everyone—they remember brands that draw a clear line in the sand.
Why Strategic Enemies Matter
A strategic enemy isn’t just about competition. It’s about clarity. When a brand defines what it opposes—whether a rival, a convention, or an outdated way of thinking—it reveals what it truly stands for. That contrast makes positioning instantly understandable and emotionally resonant for consumers.
As Ries explains, positioning is about owning an idea in the mind of the consumer. But the fastest way to make that idea stick is to define it in opposition to something else.
An enemy can be a competitor, but it doesn’t have to be. It might be a category norm, a business practice, or a cultural convention. What matters is that it creates a clear, memorable distinction that helps people quickly decide, “This brand is for me.”
On the Power of Saying No
For Ries, the foundation of a strategic enemy is the courage to say no.
“It comes from—very importantly—saying no to something. That sets up the line you’re willing to draw in the sand. What are you willing to get up and say, ‘We are against that?’ Most companies are afraid to do that. They want to play it safe. Yet the biggest successes are those bold enough to stand against something.”
Saying no forces focus. It sharpens messaging. And it builds trust by signaling conviction—something consumers instinctively respond to in a crowded marketplace.
Crafting an Enemy Consumers Instantly Understand
Ries cautions marketers against overexplaining their positioning. A strategic enemy should be simple, visual, and immediately clear—not buried in a 50-slide deck.
One standout example is Liquid Death. The brand didn’t just sell canned water—it positioned itself against plastic bottles and environmental harm. That clear enemy gave consumers something to rally around and made the brand’s values unmistakable at first glance.
New Brands Beat Line Extensions
Ries also warns against weakening brands through endless line extensions. Instead, she advocates for launching new brands to own new categories—because categories, not features, are what stick.
“The category is more important than the brand. People think it’s the Red Bull brand that matters most. It’s not. It’s the category they invented—energy drink. That name is how we verbalize the idea.”
The Bottom Line
Strategic enemies aren’t about negativity. They’re about meaning. In a world of sameness, brands that clearly define what they stand against show consumers who they are, what they value, and why they matter.
Listen to the full conversation with Laura Ries on Marketing / And.
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Marketing / And explores life through a marketing lens, diving into the moments where creativity, purpose, and culture intersect. Each episode introduces you to visionaries whose stories you might not know yet—but absolutely should. Because at its best, marketing isn’t just about selling something. It’s about shaping stories, shifting perspectives, and inspiring what comes next.