8.5 Repositioning

Positioning is a powerful tool, but once a product, service, or brand is positioned, the world doesn’t stand still. Market conditions evolve. Customers’ expectations shift. Competitors adapt. And organizations themselves change.

Although positioning is designed to last, most offerings eventually need to be revisited. This process is called repositioning—redefining how the market perceives an offering so it continues to remain relevant and competitive. In many ways, repositioning is more complex than initial positioning because you’re not starting from scratch. Instead, you’re working with existing perceptions, aiming to preserve what still resonates while changing what no longer works. It’s a bit like remodeling a house rather than building a new one: there are structural elements you must work around, and the risks of missteps are higher.

Repositioning can be rewarding, but it also carries challenges. Done poorly, it can confuse loyal customers, weaken brand equity, or set expectations the business can’t deliver. Done well, it revitalizes a brand, protects relevance, and opens new opportunities.

In the next reading, we’ll explore the rationale for repositioning, the risks and complexities involved, and examples of how organizations have navigated this process.

Creation note: This content was updated with the assistance of ChatGPT, a language model developed by OpenAI, and was subsequently reviewed and edited by the author for clarity and accuracy.