I cannot open my Twitter without being reminded by Trunk Club advertising that I'm a terrible dresser. They're all over me right now and, by all reasonable fashion conventions, they're probably right.
If you're unaware, Trunk Club is a subscription gift box service of men's clothes specifically curated by a stylist based on my supposed preferences. And it's not alone. What Trunk Club is for men's clothes, Birchbox is for cosmetics and BarkBox is for squeaky toys. We're living in a subscription gift box renaissance. Harry and David is soooo 2013.
Will it last? It might. Technology and the efficiency of modern-day logistics make buying and shipping relatively simple for all manner of goods. Either way, for the time being, sit back and enjoy what is shaping up to be an impressive display of positioning in action.
As if you needed reminding, positioning theory dictates any company, product or brand can stand for only one idea in the mind of a prospect. In other words, one of the keys to differentiation is not only specialization, but also being first in the mind to own that specialty.
For example, it will be very difficult for a new competitor to dislodge Dollar Shave Club from the idea "inexpensive mail-order razors." Or, while there are no doubt many, many, chocolate and candy subscription gift boxes, Treatsie stands alone as the preferred service for "curated artisanal treats." Whether these two companies were legitimately first matters not. They were first to own their respective positions in the mind.
Country music artist Aaron Tippin probably didn't have the rise of subscription gift boxes in mind when he penned You've Got to Stand for Something, but it works anyway.
Your business, too, stands for something. Find it, promote it and own it in the minds of your prospects. Or as Aaron Tippin would tell you ... you'll fall for anythaaaaaang.
Innis Maggiore Case Study
Creating a connection: It's art. It's history. It's Massillon. It's you.
Walking up to an Andy Warhol and ambling through an array of Ansel Adams may seem like a privilege exclusive to major cities, but for Massillon, Ohio, residents, cozying up to great art and history is as easy as a trip downtown. For more than 80 years, the Massillon Museum has showcased art and history in and for Massillon. With more than 100,000 items in its permanent collection, including local art, photographs, pottery and textiles, the museum is a cultural haven.
But as with all good things, the time came when the Massillon Museum needed to step back and consider the image it was sending to the community. Was it cool? Was it relevant? Did it present as a good opportunity for people to come and engage? Given the multitude of cultural and entertainment options available, was the Massillon Museum a "must see" destination? The museum's leadership decided it was time to refresh its brand for 21st century audiences.
Innis Maggiore, the nation's leading agency in the practice of positioning, took on the task of brand reinvention. First, the name and logo were shortened. MassMu was born to usher the brand into the modern era, à la renowned contemporary art institutions like the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) and the Met (Metropolitan Museum of Art) in New York City and the MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art) in Cleveland. A new slogan and campaign - It's art. It's history. It's Massillon. It's you. - put a sharp focus on the connection between the museum and the community.
The campaign clicked. And so did the turnstiles. Membership sales went up. More people signed on as volunteers. Today, MassMu and Tiger Town are the two most recognizable nicknames in Massillon. And that gives Massillon a lot to roar about.