How to Position Your Brand Like Spider-Man
By: Marion Michele
Tags: Agency, Brand Positioning, Brands, Branding, Branding Strategy

No, you don’t have to get bit by a radioactive spider.

Spider-Man almost didn’t happen.

He wasn’t supposed to be the mega-star he is today. In fact, Spider-Man was a filler character released in the last-edition of the failing comic series: Amazing Adult Fantasy. The publisher, Martin Goodman, reluctantly approved the superhero’s debut because Goodman felt like there ‘was nothing to lose’ — the last issue was meant to be just that…last.

Fortunately for them, and the rest of the world, Spider-Man made a successful debut in August of 1962 in Issue #15 of Amazing Fantasy, setting into motion six decades of getting to know and love this relatable character.

Side Note: The ‘Adult’ was dropped in this final issue of ‘Amazing Adult Fantasy’ because Spider-Man was, well, not an adult. He was a teenager, which was the first time Marvel Comics had a teenager as their leading hero.

Introductions Are Everything.

How we’re introduced to a character influences how they’re forever perceived. Introduce someone as a hotshot know-it-all, and it’s going to take a great deal of effort to convince us otherwise.

When it comes to Spider-Man, he wasn’t always Spider-Man. He was Peter Parker, a poor, sick orphan who dealt with problems many have seen in their own lives: financial issues, family losses, and relationship woes. These are things we, the majority of human beings, feel — no matter our upbringing.

These emotions are universal, and they’re the key to how a boy who got bit by a spider was able to resonate with a worldwide audience.

Buying In…

More people were willing to ‘buy-in’ to Spider-Man’s story because they could see some part of themselves in him. Yes, of course, it would be cool to have superhuman abilities, but it’s his hardships that made people feel like maybe this was achievable for them, too. Peter Parker was just an ordinary guy living a hard life, leaving people to think: “If this imperfect person can change against the odds, so can I.”

So, what made The Amazing Spider-Man such a success? Oddly enough, the key lies within all the things in his life that were far less than amazing. It had everything to do with the internal struggles he faced. It was this honest and very human introduction that positioned him in a relatable way.

This relatability is why this character is someone so many of us continue to love for years.

So, what’s this got to do with branding?

Everything. But first…how they’re different.

Branding Is Not Like a Movie

Spoiler alert: brands are different from movie characters.

We aren’t introduced to brands like the start of a movie. There’s no first scene everyone watches. Instead, you have to work hard to establish connections at every touchpoint because each point is a possible new introduction to your brand. You have to be intentional and consistent.

Keyword, consistent.

Brand positioning determines what your customers think about you. If you’re not deliberate, the wrong people will connect to your brand, or you’ll go unheard altogether.

It’s like calling yourself a running shoe when you’re actually a stiletto.

You don’t want that. You want to be relatable to the right audience.

How relatability plays a major role in branding.

A brand becomes relatable by talking about a specific problem that’s universal to your target audience. It becomes profitable by connecting the brand to that problem’s solution.

Like, the need for a new pair of shoes.

A business may solve the outward-facing problem of “the need for a new pair of shoes,” but people buy for reasons felt internally. If that weren’t the case, then we’d need only one shoe company. However, this clearly isn’t the case, and we see if with the thousands of shoe brands on the market.

A good brand distinguishes itself from the competition by talking about internal problems, empathizing with them, and then solving the problem.

What you end up with is a customer so deeply connected to your brand price alone won’t sway them to choose a competitor over you.

This is exactly what Spider-Man was able to do.

We related to his troubles and cheered for his success. All because we felt like maybe — just maybe — that success could be possible for us, too

Positioning Your Brand to Be as Relatable As Spider-Man

No, you don’t have to be bitten by a radioactive spider.

It comes down to three things: acknowledgment, empathizing, and authority.

Acknowledgment: “They’re talking about me.”

Empathy: “They understand where I’m coming from.”

*trust built*

Authority: “They’re able to solve my problem.”

Acknowledge the internal problems people face, show them you understand through empathy. Together, this builds trust. Once trust is built, your authority becomes strong enough to turn potential customers into die-hard fans.

Construct Your Brand’s Position in 3 Steps

If you’re not consistently letting your audience know these three things, then you’re not properly positioning your brand and serving your audience.

1) Acknowledge: speak specifically to their internal problems

2) Empathize: let them know you understand

3) Show Authority: inform them how you solve their problem

Acknowledge the internal problems people face, show them you understand through empathy, and then tell them exactly how you’re able to help.

The Conclusion: Back to Our Shoe Analogy

Here’s the chain of events that must happen:

Tell them you’ve walked in their shoes, that you understand their pain, and that — because you’ve been in their shoes and felt their pain — you made a pair of shoes that make their life better.

Essentially, you are the Spider-Man of shoes — saving the day! A true, shoe superhero.

Deliver this message consistently to your audience, and you’re on your way to becoming a superhero kind of brand.

It’s all in a day’s work…