Adopting a challenger mindset to drive more ambitious growth. 

OMG, how B2B is evolving. 

From a tradition steeped in lead generation and product features with short term fixes, B2B CMOs are shifting their focus to that of a longer term approach, that builds brand awareness over time and through simple powerful messaging to differentiate from the competition. 
 
So as B2B marketers embrace this changing of the guard, it makes perfect sense to revisit your brand’s core value proposition and think about how a challenger mindset could give your GTM messaging that much needed clearer positioning by tugging at those emotional chords in your personas. 

It’s not always about challenging competitors 

In a wider context, being a challenger doesn’t always have to mean being the underdog or taking on the competition. No. A challenger mindset means challenging the category or the customer experience, and from a B2B point of view solving the everyday pain points of your target buyers. 
 
Let’s give ourselves a G-up. B2B brands are challengers at heart, what they do, makes a positive impact to the people and organisations who use them by solving for their pain points and challenging how things used to be done. 

Using challenger archetypes as a source of inspiration 

The term ‘challenger brand’ often gets kicked around in many a workshop or strategy deck and with good reason. By rallying around a common foe, an organisation can articulate its reason for being (raison d’etre if you want to be fancy) and galvanise the team into behaving and communicating with the same mindset. 
 
Challenger archetypes can help in bringing to life your organisation’s CVP, as a springboard for crafting compelling, powerful and emotional messaging. 
 
The clever team at Eatbigfish identified the key characteristics defining challenger brands and put them into 10 distinct archetypes or strategies that might just resonate with yours. 

10 challenger brand archetypes  

#1 People’s Champion 

Stands up for a group of people short-changed or underserved by the establishment and changes the model with ‘people powered’ solutions – think Procore with a brand story that starts with its founder Craig ‘Tooey’ Courtemanche and a software platform borne out of the struggles of managing the construction of his own house, that brings contractor and subcontractors together for a more successful, defect-free build. 

#2 Next Generation 

Sets out to challenge the market leader or the entire category to the times and expectations of today. They believe that the world changes and so should the way we do things – think Zoom replacing Skype or face to face meetings. 

#3 Democratiser 

Seeks to make products or services, that have only been available to the top end of town, more accessible – think Canva that made design accessible to marketers of any level.  

#4 Local Hero 

Taps into the importance of the needs of local people and local culture with a deep understanding of the community in which it lives – think AMEX with its Small Business Saturday helping local businesses succeed. 

#5 Real & Human 

Rallies against faceless organisations and takes on a human approach in bringing the market a better alternative – think Afterpay with its informal tone of voice. 

#6 Missionary 

Driven by a purpose to fix what’s broken in the world with the objective and the business being the mission – think Xero who gives companies time back from accounting to a focus on doing ‘beautiful business’. 

#7 Enlightened Zagger 

Swims against the tide and calls out the BS when it sees it and provides an aspirational alternative movement – think Management Consultancy EXL switching from a focus on data and technology to that of insights and ideas or Embraer Aircraft who believed in matching aircraft capacity to market demand. 

#8 Dramatic Disruptor 

Dramatises their offers of a product or service and its superiority to the incumbent – think Salesforce challenging the category leader or Volvo Trucks and that epic Van Damme split. 

#9 Irreverent Maverick 

Using wit and humour to challenge the bland reality, creating talkability and grabbing the headlines – think Workday with its “Rock Stars of Business”. 

#10 Feisty Underdog 

Good vs Evil, Big against Small, it’s not a challenge, it’s a battle and sticking it to the big boys – think Slack built from the ground up to take on the evil that is, company emails. 

Go forth and challenge 

With these challenger archetypes in mind, why not try revisiting your CVP and positioning pillars to see where your organisation or brand fits authentically. Then take inspiration in crafting more compelling and emotional messaging that sets you apart and lands clearer with your target audience and ICP. 

And if you need help to get started (or get finished), get in touch.