Develop a Creative Strategy: Use a Brand Superpower
What is the Use a Brand Superpower Strategy and when should I use it?
Look, your brand is probably mediocre at most things. It's okay; we all have flaws. But there is usually one weird, specific thing you do better than the competition. The Use a Brand Superpower Strategy is about taking that one freakish talent and turning the volume up to eleven while pretending the rest of your baggage doesn't exist. You use this when you're tired of being a generalist and want to own a specific corner of the market. It’s for brands with a cult following or a legacy that outweighs their current product specs. Stop being a jack of all trades and start being a god. Go do it.
How to execute this strategy effectively
First, stop lying to yourself about what you’re good at. If your customer service is trash but your product is indestructible, stop talking about "caring" and start talking about "unbreakable." You execute this strategy by isolating the one attribute that makes your audience’s pupils dilate. Then, you build every single touchpoint around that one thing. Forget balance. Balance is for people who want to be forgotten. You want to be obsessed. Lean into the legacy, the speed, or the sheer stubbornness of your brand. If people aren't annoyed by your focus, you aren't doing it right yet. OK?
Example: Harley-Davidson – "Live Your Legend" (2016–2020)
Harley-Davidson didn't sell fuel efficiency or quiet engines. They sold the "Legend." In their 2016-2020 campaign, they leaned hard into the visceral, grit-teeth heritage that only they own. They ignored the fact that their bikes are heavy and loud because heavy and loud is the superpower. By focusing on the bond between generations and the raw power of the ride, they turned a mechanical object into a legacy. It's not a bike; it's a soul. Cool.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed in 4C Framework
Company INSIGHT
Harley-Davidson has a century of heritage and a distinct, visceral engine sound that competitors can't replicate. It's about raw mechanical soul.
Category INSIGHT
The motorcycle category was shifting toward tech specs, fuel economy, and sleek, plastic designs that felt disposable and soulless.
Strategy:
Position the bike not as transportation, but as a vehicle for building a personal, multi-generational legacy in a disposable world.
Customer INSIGHT
Customers felt a lack of permanence in a digital world and craved a sense of belonging to something timeless and rugged.
Culture INSIGHT
As society became more automated and disconnected, the idea of an "American Legend" and authentic, tactile experiences became a powerful counter-culture movement.
Strategy:
Position the bike not as transportation, but as a vehicle for building a personal, multi-generational legacy in a disposable world.
Company INSIGHT
Harley-Davidson has a century of heritage and a distinct, visceral engine sound that competitors can't replicate. It's about raw mechanical soul.
Category INSIGHT
The motorcycle category was shifting toward tech specs, fuel economy, and sleek, plastic designs that felt disposable and soulless.
Customer INSIGHT
Customers felt a lack of permanence in a digital world and craved a sense of belonging to something timeless and rugged.
Culture INSIGHT
As society became more automated and disconnected, the idea of an "American Legend" and authentic, tactile experiences became a powerful counter-culture movement.
Why is Use a Brand Superpower a Great Strategy?
It stops you from trying to fix your flaws and lets you win with your strengths.
Focuses the budget on one winning horse
Cuts through the noise of generic claims
Builds an impenetrable, specific brand identity
Turns product specs into emotional legacies
Most brands fail because they want to be everything to everyone. This strategy forces you to pick a lane and drive like a maniac. It turns your biggest quirk into your biggest weapon.
! When not to use the "Use a Brand Superpower" Strategy
Don't use this Strategy if your brand's only 'superpower' is being the cheapest option in a race to the bottom.
Steps to implement: Stop Trying to Fix Your Personality Flaws
Identify the One Undeniable Truth
Look at your brand and find the one thing people actually care about. Is it your history? Your durability? Your weird smell? Don't pick something aspirational; pick something real. Harley didn't pick "innovation"; they picked "legend." You need to be brutally honest here. If you lie to yourself about your strength, this whole strategy collapses into a heap of expensive, confusing garbage.
Aggressively Ignore Everything Else
Once you have your superpower, stop talking about your "competitive pricing" or your "user-friendly interface." If it doesn't feed the superpower, it's garbage. Throw it out of the deck before someone asks about it. Your goal is to be a specialist, not a Swiss Army knife. If you try to mention your low APR while talking about legendary freedom, you’ve already lost the room and the customer.
Dial Up the Visual Intensity
Your superpower needs to look the part. If your power is "grit," don't use stock photos of smiling millennials. Use high-contrast, moody imagery that feels like the "Live Your Legend" spots. Make the audience feel the vibration of the engine through the screen. Every color choice and font weight should scream your specific power. If it looks like a generic tech startup, you are failing your brand's heritage.
Connect the Power to the People
A superpower is useless if nobody wants to be the hero. Show how your specific trait solves a deep, emotional void for your customer. Harley connected heavy metal to the desire for a lasting personal legacy. You aren't selling features; you’re selling a version of the customer they can't get anywhere else. Make them feel like owning your product is the only way to unlock their own potential greatness.
Commit Until It Hurts
Don't switch gears after six months because the board got bored. A superpower takes time to become a myth. Stick to the narrative until your competitors start trying to copy your vibe. Then, double down again. Consistency is the only thing that separates a campaign from a legacy. If you blink, the audience will smell the insecurity. Keep the throttle open until the superpower is the only thing people remember.
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