This document discusses how framing can be used to create a competitive advantage. It outlines four styles of framing: 1) Head to Head, where there is no clear category leader; 2) Big Fish, Smaller Pond, targeting an underserved sub-segment; 3) Reframe the Market, highlighting strengths through breakthrough innovation; and 4) Change the Game, inventing a new market category. The key is deliberately setting context to position a product or company strategically relative to competitors. Framing done well can highlight strengths and make competitors irrelevant, but risks include fast followers and categories not highlighting strengths.

1. Using FRAMING to create a
COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
@aprildunford April Dunford

2. CONTEXT: AN EXPERIMENT

3. Ball
Cap
Sloppy
shirt
Dirty metro
plaza
Garbage!Did not
stop

4. STREET
PERFORMER

5. Big
camera
Fancy white
bow ties
Nice wood!
Audience loves it!
Program
says he
won
awards

6. GENIUS!

7. THE “PRODUCT” DID NOT CHANGE
VS

8. CONTEXT
IS
CRITICAL
YET…
Out of context
quote!
NO!!!

9. WE RARELY SET CONTEXT
DELIBERATELY

10. WHY ARE
WE SO BAD
AT THIS?

11. WE ARE TAUGHT THIS

12. YOU CAN WRITE CRAP DOWN,
BUT IT’S STILL CRAP!!

13. 4 STYLES OF FRAMING

14. STYLE 1: HEAD TO HEAD

15. WHAT IS IT WHEN TO USE IT
ADVANTAGES RISKS
The category is known but
there’s NO CLEAR LEADER
Everyone understands
the Frame
You need MONEY and
TIME
Beat the leader AT
THEIR OWN GAME
STYLE 1: HEAD TO HEAD

16. STYLE 2: BIG FISH, SMALLER POND

17. WHAT IS IT WHEN TO USE IT
ADVANTAGES RISKS
The a sub-segment has
DISTINCT NEEDS that are
UNMET by the current leader
Don’t have to take the leaders
HEAD-ON
The leader MATCHES your
offering
Your frame is a SUB-
SEGMENT of an existing
market
STYLE 2: BIG FISH, SMALLER POND

18. STYLE 3: REFRAME THE MARKET

19. WHAT IS IT WHEN TO USE IT
ADVANTAGES RISKS
You have BREAKTHROUGH
INNOVATION
There is a SUDDEN CHANGE in the
market
Highlights your STRENGTHS,
makes the leaders strengths
IRRELEVANT
The leader positions your
innovation as a “FEATURE”
REFRAME an existing
market
STYLE 3: REFRAME THE MARKET

20. STYLE 4: CHANGE THE GAME

21. WHAT IS IT WHEN TO USE IT
ADVANTAGES RISKS
Existing categories don’t HIGHLIGHT
YOUR STRENGTHS
Data indicates a category WILL
EMERGE
The company that CREATES the
category is considered the
LEADER
FAST FOLLOWERS beat you before
you are established as leader
INVENT a new market
category
STYLE 4: CHANGE THE GAME

22. STORY: ARE THESE BOTH ROBOTS?

23. FIND OUT
WHO YOU
ARE…
…AND DO
IT ON
PURPOSE

24. APRIL DUNFORD
AprilDunford.com
@AprilDunford