A brand that means everything ends up meaning nothing

There's a natural pull toward making a brand appeal to as many people as possible: soften the message, cover every audience, avoid saying anything that might turn someone away. It feels like growth. It usually produces the opposite.

A brand that tries to mean everything to everyone ends up standing for nothing specific to anyone. The message gets so broad it stops giving anyone a real reason to choose it over an equally broad competitor.

The brands people feel strongly about are usually the ones willing to not be for everyone. A clear point of view, aimed at a specific person, wins loyalty. A vague one aimed at everybody wins indifference.

Choosing who the brand isn't for is as important as choosing who it is for. That's not a smaller brand. It's a sharper one.