Real-world examples of case studies of successful brand positioning

Why real examples of brand positioning matter more than theory

Marketers love frameworks. Customers do not. They respond to clarity, relevance, and consistency. That’s why examples of examples of case studies of successful brand positioning are so valuable: they show how strategy survives contact with reality.

When you study a strong example of brand positioning, you can usually see three things clearly:

• Who the brand is really for (and who it’s willing to ignore)
• What distinct value or meaning it owns in the customer’s mind
• How that promise shows up across product, pricing, channels, and messaging

The best examples aren’t just clever taglines. They’re choices backed by trade-offs. Let’s walk through several real examples from different industries and see how those choices played out.

Apple: From specs to status symbol

Apple is one of the cleanest examples of a case study of successful brand positioning in modern business. While competitors fought over processor speed and memory, Apple positioned itself around design, simplicity, and status.

Instead of “fastest PC,” Apple leaned into being the premium, intuitive, and creative choice. The famous “Get a Mac” campaign framed PCs as boring and corporate, while Macs were expressive and human. That wasn’t just advertising; it was positioning.

Key moves that made this a textbook example of successful brand positioning:

• Narrow focus on premium buyers rather than chasing every price point
• Consistent visual identity and product design that instantly signaled Apple
• Ecosystem lock-in (iPhone, Mac, iPad, Watch, AirPods) reinforcing the idea of a unified, elevated experience

Financially, this positioning worked. Apple has captured a disproportionate share of global smartphone profits despite lower unit share. Analysts have repeatedly noted that Apple earns the majority of industry profits in categories where its volume share is far lower than rivals, a sign that the market accepts its premium positioning and pricing.

For marketers, the lesson from this example of brand positioning is simple: own a meaning (design, simplicity, status), not a spec sheet.

Tesla: Technology brand, not car company

Tesla is one of the best examples of how positioning can redefine an entire category. Rather than being “another automaker,” Tesla positioned itself as a technology and energy company that just happens to make cars.

That distinction mattered. While legacy brands pushed hybrids and incremental efficiency, Tesla’s positioning shouted performance, innovation, and vision for a zero-emissions future.

Signals that reinforced this positioning:

• Selling direct-to-consumer instead of through traditional dealerships
• Over-the-air software updates, framing the car as a device that improves over time
• A charismatic CEO emphasizing mission and vision, not just models and trims

According to data from the International Energy Agency, global electric car sales passed 10 million units in 2022 and have continued to grow rapidly, with EVs representing a rising share of total new car sales worldwide (IEA.org). Tesla’s early, bold positioning helped it dominate mindshare as this market expanded.

In any list of examples of examples of case studies of successful brand positioning, Tesla belongs near the top because it shows how a brand can move from niche to mainstream by owning a future-focused narrative.

Airbnb: “Belong anywhere” vs “book a room”

Airbnb is a strong example of how emotional positioning can unlock a new behavior. Early on, the brand could have framed itself as a cheaper hotel alternative. Instead, it leaned into belonging, connection, and living like a local.

“Belong Anywhere” became more than a tagline. It was a positioning choice:

• Hosts were positioned as welcoming locals, not anonymous property managers
• Guests were framed as travelers, not tourists
• The platform leaned on storytelling, reviews, and photography that highlighted experiences over square footage

This emotional angle helped overcome the obvious objections: staying in a stranger’s home is weird. But if the category is redefined as a more authentic, human way to travel, the risk can feel worth it.

From a brand positioning standpoint, Airbnb is an example of how redefining the category meaning (“travel like you live there”) can be more powerful than competing on price or convenience alone.

Oatly: Boring category, sharp point of view

Plant-based milk was a sleepy aisle with soy, almond, and coconut fighting for space. Oatly came in with one of the clearest examples of case studies of successful brand positioning in consumer packaged goods.

Instead of being just another “healthy alternative,” Oatly positioned itself as the playful, outspoken, slightly rebellious choice for people who care about both health and climate.

How that positioning showed up:

• Packaging as media: conversational, opinionated copy right on the carton
• Bold claims and activism around sustainability, sometimes courting controversy
• A tone of voice that felt more like a startup than a grocery brand

The result: Oatly helped grow the entire oat milk category and built strong brand recognition, especially among younger, urban consumers. As plant-based diets continue to expand, driven in part by environmental and health concerns documented by organizations like the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Institutes of Health (USDA.gov and NIH.gov), Oatly’s positioning keeps it culturally relevant, not just nutritionally relevant.

If you’re looking for a modern example of how to stand out in a crowded shelf, Oatly is one of the best examples.

Liquid Death: Positioning water like a punk band

On paper, Liquid Death sells canned water. That’s it. In practice, it’s one of the sharpest examples of examples of case studies of successful brand positioning in the beverage world.

Instead of leaning into purity, mountains, or wellness, Liquid Death positioned itself as the anti-boring water brand. The name, the tattoo-style graphics, the heavy-metal tone of voice — all of it says: this is for people who hate typical health branding.

Key positioning choices:

• Targeting energy drink and beer occasions, not just “hydration moments”
• Using humor and over-the-top stunts to build a cult-like following
• Turning sustainability (aluminum over plastic) into part of the rebellious story

This is a real example of how brand positioning can manufacture differentiation in a commodity category. The product isn’t wildly different, but the meaning in the customer’s mind absolutely is.

Patagonia: Values as a positioning weapon

Patagonia is often cited in marketing classrooms for a reason. It’s an example of a brand that put environmental activism at the center of its positioning long before ESG became a buzzword.

Patagonia doesn’t just sell outdoor gear. It positions itself as the brand for people who want to enjoy nature and protect it.

How that shows up:

• Publicly encouraging customers to buy less, repair more
• Donating a significant share of profits to environmental causes
• Taking visible stands on public policy and conservation issues

This values-based stance has not hurt the business. If anything, it has deepened loyalty and justified premium pricing. In a world where consumers increasingly say they care about sustainability — a trend supported by research from groups like the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health on climate and health impacts (Harvard.edu ) — Patagonia’s positioning feels aligned with broader cultural shifts.

For marketers, Patagonia is an example of how consistent values can anchor positioning over decades.

Netflix: From mail-order DVDs to global entertainment brand

Netflix offers a clear example of repositioning over time. It started as a convenient DVD-by-mail service competing with Blockbuster. Today, it’s positioned as a global entertainment brand and content creator.

The shift in positioning involved several phases:

• From “no late fees, DVDs by mail” to “watch instantly” streaming
• From streaming others’ content to producing original hits like House of Cards and Stranger Things
• From a U.S.-centric service to a global platform with local-language content

Instead of just being a utility for watching shows, Netflix now positions itself as a cultural tastemaker. That’s a different level of brand meaning and a different competitive set.

This is one of the most instructive examples of case studies of successful brand positioning because it shows that positioning is not static. It can and should evolve with technology, consumer behavior, and competition.

B2B example: Salesforce and the “No Software” stance

Brand positioning isn’t just for consumer brands. Salesforce is a strong B2B example of how a clear stance can build a category leader.

When Salesforce launched, the CRM market was dominated by heavyweight, on-premise software. Salesforce positioned itself as “No Software” — a bold way of saying: you don’t need installations, servers, or IT headaches.

This simple, almost provocative phrase:

• Framed Salesforce as the cloud-native alternative
• Turned a technical delivery model into a business benefit (faster, easier, less risky)
• Helped Salesforce own the software-as-a-service narrative in the minds of executives

Over time, Salesforce expanded far beyond CRM, but that original positioning helped it break into a skeptical enterprise market. For anyone looking for a B2B example of case studies of successful brand positioning, Salesforce is a reminder that you can win by attacking the old way of doing things, not just by listing features.

Common patterns across these examples of successful brand positioning

When you line up these real examples of examples of case studies of successful brand positioning, some patterns show up again and again:

• They choose a clear enemy. PCs for Apple, plastic bottles for Liquid Death, fossil-fuel status quo for Tesla, fast fashion for Patagonia, legacy software for Salesforce.
• They pick a sharp audience. Creative professionals, eco-conscious millennials, metalheads who drink water, budget travelers who want authenticity, IT-weary executives.
• They own a specific meaning. Creativity, rebellion, belonging, sustainability, simplicity, or cultural relevance — not generic “quality and service.”
• They align product and behavior with the story. It’s not just ads. It’s business model, design, pricing, and public actions.

The takeaway: positioning is not a tagline exercise. It’s a business decision about what you stand for and who you’re willing to lose.

How to use these examples in your own brand work

Studying examples of case studies of successful brand positioning is helpful, but copying them is not. Your market, margins, and constraints are different. Instead, use these stories as prompts:

• If Apple owns design and simplicity, what meaning could you own that your competitors ignore?
• If Liquid Death can make water interesting, what would it look like to give your category a totally different attitude?
• If Salesforce won by attacking the old way, what outdated practice in your industry could you position against?

A practical exercise: write down how a customer would describe your brand in one sentence to a friend. Then ask: would they say the same thing about your top three competitors? If the answer is yes, your positioning isn’t sharp enough.

Look again at these real examples. Each brand has a sentence that a fan could say that doesn’t apply to the competition. That’s the bar.

FAQ: examples of brand positioning in practice

Q: What is a simple example of brand positioning for a small business?
A: Imagine a local coffee shop that positions itself as the late-night workspace for students and freelancers. It stays open later than competitors, offers fast Wi‑Fi, plenty of outlets, and quiet zones. The message isn’t “we have good coffee” (everyone says that); it’s “we’re the place where you actually get work done after 8 p.m.” That’s a clear, practical example of positioning.

Q: Why study examples of case studies of successful brand positioning instead of just reading frameworks?
A: Frameworks tell you what should happen. Real examples show you what did happen when brands made trade-offs, took risks, and stuck with a point of view. They reveal how positioning decisions connect to pricing, channel strategy, product design, and even hiring.

Q: Are there examples of repositioning when a brand is in trouble?
A: Yes. Netflix’s shift from DVDs to streaming, or Microsoft’s move from a Windows-centric company to a cloud and productivity brand, are both examples of repositioning. The underlying principle is the same: pick a new, clear place in the customer’s mind and then align your actions with it.

Q: How many examples of successful brand positioning should I study before making decisions?
A: Enough to see patterns, not so many that you stall. A focused set of 6–10 real examples — across both B2C and B2B — usually gives you enough perspective to pressure-test your own ideas.

Q: Where can I find more research on consumer behavior to support my positioning work?
A: Look at academic and government sources that study behavior and decision-making, such as the National Institutes of Health for psychology and behavior research (NIH.gov), or universities with marketing and behavioral science programs like Harvard Business School (Harvard.edu). While they won’t give you ready-made positioning statements, they can inform how you frame benefits and reduce friction.

Studying these examples of examples of case studies of successful brand positioning won’t write your strategy for you, but it will sharpen your instincts. The brands that win are rarely the ones with the loudest campaigns. They’re the ones that make a clear promise to a specific audience — and then behave like they mean it.