re:position
A monthly newsletter and community round-up, shining light on the art and science of powerful market positioning.
Latest Feature Story from our most recent newsletter.
(link to full newsletter after article)
When hype becomes commodity
When your edge becomes expected
I’m a sucker for the hype that surrounds tech innovation. The incessant buzzy commentary, the predictions about the trend-line, the dead ends, the legends. It’s fun watching what once was touted as "the future" slowly become the tech we take for granted each day. That’s human ingenuity in action I guess.
When we look down this path of innovation with hindsight, it almost appears pre-ordained. “Steve Jobs made the call to kill our beloved iPod; because he predicted the rise of the smart phone and knew everybody would want their music library on the same device." Which of course is nonsense, but nonsense that leads many to expect that innovation is a straight line.
The distortion of hindsight
Hindsight is an entertaining thing, but it warps our sense of reality. We all know that future success comes through measured risk and trial, not adherence to a single perfect trajectory. As technology evolves, we have to be on the lookout for the next big thing to try. This of course is where we get tripped up by our own FOMO. The greater the hype about a new innovation, the feeling that there is an emerging trend that “the market will demand”, the more likely we are to shoe-horn it into our product and eventually into our sales.
Admit it, we’ve all slapped the latest “game changing” tech onto a slide deck to impress a customer so they see us as early adopters. The ol’ talk first, build later mentality, guilty as charged.
Short-term lift, long-term risk
In my book, there is nothing wrong with a little spin, as innovation hype creates a tailwind for us all. Visible adoption of the latest big hype can instantly turn the weakest vague promises into statements of visionary market leadership. But it’s also one that can push us off course, hiding a lack of differentiated value or poor product-market fit.
It’s vital to remember that every hype wave eventually breaks. The tech either gets swamped by the next big thing, or gets absorbed into the mainstream. Where we start with excitable early adopters, we finish with skeptical buyers who don’t care about your tech stack, LLM or disruptive engine. They just care about their personal survival.
Swimmers, not surfer
The harsh reality is that if your positioning relies on the adoption hype created by a category, then you’re quickly into dangerous waters. You’re a swimmer, not a surfer.
When the hype crashes or gets subsumed, the swimmers are left treading water.
In a post hype market, yesterday’s high value innovation is now a commodity. So how can you make sure that you don’t go down with the trend?
At risk of repetition, surviving tech hype isn’t about a product pivot, it’s about finally admitting what you solve. Strip away those revolutionary adjectives and get back to the (often) dull and gritty, but high value problem you solve with these two little tricks.
Trick 1: Noun test
I love the noun replacement test. Take the copy from your sales deck and find the hype lines - we “use AI to transform enterprise workflows” sort of thing, and replace the hype with what it actually is. So you “use software to transform enterprise workflows”. Hmm that doesn’t really say anything at all.
It’s an easy test, but a hard lesson. It reminds us about what we all know but often forget; the tech is the how, the value is in the what and the why.
Trick 2: Budget test
If that fails to impress, try the budget test. Go back to your sales deck and ask if your customer would buy it out of their ops budget, not their tech innovation budget.
Tech will always be led by trends, as the next good idea starts to spread from the fringes to the mainstream. So the hype wave is something to be continually on the lookout for. But with a little perspective, you can ride it out in style, all the way to the beach.
Article from the February 2026 re:position
When your edge becomes expected. Two simple tests to protect your positioning when trends fade. READ THE FULL NEWSLETTER HERE and SIGN UP HERE if you’d like to receive this in your inbox next time.
Browse our past issues of re:position, and sign up at the bottom of the page if you’d like to get it in your inbox.
January 2026 re:position
Why certainty should make you nervous. Confidence feels like relief. That’s the problem. Read here
November 2025 re:position
Do it til it’s done. Celebrate the year's end with us. Read here
October 2025 re:position
The question every board should be asking. Who really owns your positioning? Read here
September 2025 re:position
The most valuable asset in your business. A simple exercise to reset positioning and performance around reality . Read here
August 2025 re:position
Value is the villain. Most businesses kill their positioning by talking about “our value” instead of the outcomes their customers actually care about. Read here
July 2025 re:position
In praise of Plan B. Rethinking the back‑up plan: why 2025 might call for a Plan B renaissance. Read here
June 2025 re:position
Is export the wrong problem to solve? Forget “build it and they will come.” It’s time to rethink how we scale. Read here
May 2025 re:position
A little south of Huntly. Inspired by a flight home from a recent workshop, I found myself connecting the dots of light below, which made me think about how our words work in similar ways - guiding decisions and perceptions. Read here
April 2025 re:position
Change is inevitable. 2025 has been a bumpy ride so far, and it’s not slowing down. Find out why focusing on what you can control is essential for your strategy. Read here
March 2025 re:position
Scared of similar? Marketers are obsessed with originality, but maybe it’s time to stand up for being more alike. Here’s why. Read here
February 2025 re:position
A productivity challenge for 2025. Execution is where strategy comes to life. Why do we get stuck, and how do we move faster? Read here
January 2025 re:position
2025, we made it. So what now? The truth about January. It’s tempting to let the month slip by in a summer haze, but January could be your most strategic month yet. Read here
December 2024 re:position
Wrapping up 2024 with gratitude and a special invitation. A quick thank you, a sneak peek at 2025, and a fun chance to kick off the year with an 'Ask Me Anything' clinic. Enjoy your holidays, and see you in the new year! Read here
November 2024 re:position
Embrace sales! It's time to grow 📈 Let’s address sales investment phobias and the impact this has on growth. Read here
October 2024 re:position
Don't let ghost value haunt your strategy - Ghost value can creep in unnoticed - let's explore how meaningful differentiation can keep your strategy sharp and scare off sameness. Read here
