Origin & Source
This technique was first described in a seminal work on storytelling and narrative structure. It draws from decades of research into how audiences process and remember stories.
The underlying principle has been validated across multiple disciplines, from screenwriting to brand strategy and content marketing.
Source: Original research and academic publications
The Framework
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Name the Old Category
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Expose the Category's Flaw
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Reframe the Problem
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Name the New Category
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Prove the Category Exists
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Claim the Category
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TV Ad Script - 60-second spot for a workplace communication platform
A ready-to-use example that you can adapt for your brand...
A ready-to-use example that you can adapt for your brand...
A ready-to-use example that you can adapt for your brand...
A ready-to-use example that you can adapt for your brand...
A ready-to-use example that you can adapt for your brand...
A ready-to-use example that you can adapt for your brand...
B2B SaaS - Category story for a customer data platform repositioning
A ready-to-use example that you can adapt for your brand...
A ready-to-use example that you can adapt for your brand...
A ready-to-use example that you can adapt for your brand...
A ready-to-use example that you can adapt for your brand...
A ready-to-use example that you can adapt for your brand...
A ready-to-use example that you can adapt for your brand...
DTC / Personal brand - Category story for a premium meal prep service
A ready-to-use example that you can adapt for your brand...
A ready-to-use example that you can adapt for your brand...
A ready-to-use example that you can adapt for your brand...
A ready-to-use example that you can adapt for your brand...
A ready-to-use example that you can adapt for your brand...
A ready-to-use example that you can adapt for your brand...
Brand Strategy Usage
Competitive Repositioning
Escape the comparison trap
Detailed strategy breakdown with step-by-step implementation guide...
Thought Leadership Engine
Become the category authority
Detailed strategy breakdown with step-by-step implementation guide...
Product Launch Narrative
Launch a category, not a feature
Detailed strategy breakdown with step-by-step implementation guide...
When to use
When your product doesn't fit neatly into an existing category and you keep losing in feature comparisons
Market entry where the existing category leaders have locked up the narrative
Repositioning efforts where you need to change how buyers think about the problem, not just the solution
Thought leadership campaigns where you want to become the reference point for a new way of thinking
When NOT to use
When the existing category is well-understood and your audience searches for it by name - renaming creates confusion
When you don't have the budget or patience to educate the market on a new category
When the new category feels like jargon rather than genuine reframing - forced categories die fast
When your product actually is a better version of something that already exists - just say that
Related storytelling techniques
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Category Story in brand strategy?
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How do you create a new category?
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What's the difference between a Category Story and repositioning?
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Can small companies create categories?
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How long does it take for a new category to stick?
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