Gatorade

Customer-first branding: find the audience no brand speaks to

Shaan's branding playbook from the Liquid Death and Gatorade examples: start with a specific customer, ask whether any existing brand in the category fits that customer's lifestyle, and if not, build the brand that speaks to them. Gatorade refactored medical-looking electrolyte drinks into 'what top athletes drink'; Liquid Death did it for water with no fun, punk brand.

“And then Gatorade came out and just refactored that same thing with the brand of, this is what the top athletes in the world, in the world drink. And then, you know, there's— so you just take a customer first. And then you say, okay, to this customer, is there already a brand in this category that speaks to that customer, that fits that customer's lifestyle? And if not, go for it.”

Steal thisPick a specific customer, check if any brand in the category speaks to their lifestyle, and if none does, build that brand.