From Apple to REI: lessons in brand strategy
Brand strategy isn’t just a marketing department exercise — it’s the blueprint for how a business shows up in the world. A clear strategy aligns products, visuals, messaging, and customer experience so the brand can compete and grow.
This guide breaks down six key areas of analysis, with real-world examples to illustrate how brands approach identity, execution, and growth differently.
1. Brand Identity & Positioning
- Mission & Vision – clarity in why the brand exists and what future it’s trying to build.
- Core Values – whether the stated values actually influence decisions and storytelling.
- Positioning – lifestyle-driven, product-driven, or values-driven.
Case Study: Hurley vs. Bluetti
At first glance, Hurley (surfwear) and Bluetti (solar power stations) seem worlds apart. But both compete in the broader outdoors and lifestyle market.
Hurley positions itself around surf culture: freedom, performance, fun, and belonging. It sells not just clothes but a lifestyle that’s tied to the ocean. Bluetti, meanwhile, focuses on independence, sustainability, and self-sufficiency. Their positioning appeals to outdoor adventurers, campers, digital nomads, and eco-conscious consumers.
The crossover comes when you see Bluetti gear in real-world use. Imagine a filmmaker on the beach shooting a surf sequence — Hurley clothing on, Bluetti backpack battery powering cameras and drones. Both brands serve the “outdoor lifestyle,” just in different ways: one through culture, the other through utility.
How to Analyze:
- Compare emotional drivers (fun, safety, freedom, community).
- Look at whether their products tell complementary or conflicting stories.
2. Market & Competitor Landscape
- Target Audience – who the brand is speaking to (and who it isn’t).
- Competitor Review – benchmarking direct and indirect competition.
- Trends – how the brand aligns with or resists larger shifts.
Case Example: Expedia
Expedia’s positioning in travel is scale and convenience. Instead of carving out niche experiences like Airbnb, Expedia doubles down on being the “one-stop shop” for booking — flights, hotels, cars, cruises, and vacation packages.
Competitors take different angles: Booking.com focuses on hotels, while niche players target specific experiences. Expedia appeals to a broad swath of travellers who value efficiency and trust a platform with global reach.
How to Analyze:
- Identify their “edge” (scale, price, lifestyle, experience).
- Check gaps — is there a market segment they don’t serve? Is that intentional or a blind spot?
3. Messaging & Visual Identity
- Voice & Tone – consistent, authentic, audience-appropriate.
- Design Consistency – logos, typography, photography, and product design.
- Content Themes – recurring brand narratives.
Case Example: Apple
Apple is the benchmark for brand consistency. The voice is clean, direct, aspirational. The visuals are minimalist: bold whitespace, restrained fonts, high-quality photography.
What’s more impressive is how this consistency spans across every product line — MacBooks, iPhones, iPads, Watches, and AirPods. Each is presented not just as a gadget but as part of an interconnected ecosystem. The product videos carry the same pacing, tone, and aesthetic. Packaging mirrors the design philosophy. Retail stores echo the clean simplicity.
This kind of cross-product consistency strengthens brand recognition — even if you only glance at an ad, you know it’s Apple without seeing the logo.
Audit Tip:
Take 3–5 products from the same brand. Do they tell one cohesive story? Or do they feel like they belong to different companies?
4. Marketing Channels & Execution
- Owned Channels – websites, newsletters, blogs.
- Social Media – channel-specific content strategies.
- Paid Media – ads, sponsorships, influencers.
- Partnerships – who they align with to extend credibility.
Case Example: Half Baked Harvest
Half Baked Harvest is more than a food blog — it’s a brand built around Tieghan Gerard’s creative lens.
- Instagram: moody, high-quality photography with storytelling captions.
- Pinterest: recipe-focused pins that drive discovery traffic.
- Blog: long-form, detailed recipes with personal notes woven in.
- Cookbooks: extending brand trust into physical products.
- Collaborations: selective partnerships with cookware and food brands.
The brand’s strength is how each channel reinforces the core promise: approachable yet elevated food. It’s lifestyle marketing through recipes, photography, and consistency of voice.
5. Customer Experience
- Touchpoints – the journey from first impression to loyalty.
- Engagement – building community, inviting feedback.
- Support – how issues are handled and whether values show up in customer care.
Case Example: REI
REI embodies its cooperative values through customer experience. Staff aren’t just salespeople — they’re experts and fellow adventurers. Policies like their generous return program build trust. Campaigns like “Opt Outside” align their sales model with brand values by literally telling customers to shop less and get outdoors.
The experience is cohesive: you feel part of a community, not just a customer. Every touchpoint, from in-store workshops to member rewards, reinforces their positioning as a brand for outdoor enthusiasts.
How to Analyze:
- Walk through a typical customer journey: first ad → website → purchase → support.
- Ask whether the brand values show up at each stage.
6. Performance & Growth Indicators
- KPIs – awareness, engagement, conversion, retention.
- Consistency – do campaigns build on each other or scatter?
- Adaptability – how quickly the brand shifts with the market.
Case Example: Netflix
Netflix lives and dies by data. They test thumbnails, track viewing completion rates, and feed algorithms to boost retention. Their pivot from DVD rentals to streaming was driven by anticipating consumer behaviour. Later, moving into original content (House of Cards, Stranger Things) cemented their growth.
Contrast that with Blockbuster’s refusal to adapt — Netflix’s adaptability wasn’t just smart, it was survival.
7. Putting It All Together: SWOT Analysis
- Strengths – internal advantages (loyal audience, strong identity).
- Weaknesses – pain points (pricing, accessibility).
- Opportunities – cultural or market trends to tap into.
- Threats – external forces, new competitors, changing habits.
Case Example: Peloton
- Strengths: passionate community, tech + fitness hybrid, strong brand recognition.
- Weaknesses: high pricing, narrow demographic.
- Opportunities: expansion into app-only or lower-priced hardware, growing global markets.
- Threats: cheaper competitors, gyms reopening post-pandemic, shifting exercise habits.
Peloton shows how a SWOT brings both strengths (brand loyalty, innovation) and threats (competitor disruption) into focus.
Conclusion
Analyzing a brand’s strategy means pulling apart identity, competition, messaging, channels, experience, and performance. Each case study shows a different angle:
- Hurley vs. Bluetti → lifestyle vs. utility in the outdoor space.
- Expedia → scale and convenience in travel booking.
- Apple → product ecosystem built on consistency.
- Half Baked Harvest → lifestyle storytelling across channels.
- REI → brand values lived through customer experience.
- Netflix → adaptability as survival.
- Peloton → the balance of strengths and vulnerabilities in a SWOT.
The goal isn’t just critique. It’s spotting opportunities and learning from what others do well (or fail at). A strong analysis sharpens your own brand thinking and helps you build strategies that last.