Leveraging a Brand's Position on Opposition: An Exploratory Study of Mr Charlie's Communication to Position Itself in the Fast-Food Market

Abstract: Brand activism has emerged as a prevalent phenomenon where brands engage in socio-political issues to differentiate themselves and build stakeholder resonance. Despite its growing prominence, research on brand activism is limited, particularly in relation to brand positioning. Thus, the purpose of this study is to explore how a newly launched brand engaging in socio-political agendas communicates to position itself in a saturated market. Drawing from previous research, we conducted a single case study of the American fast-food chain Mr Charlie’s due to its noticeable resemblance to McDonald’s and focus on social and environmental impact. The data collection process involved triangulation of different sources. By means of qualitative content analysis, four main categories were identified in Mr Charlie's communication strategy: Rivalry, Metacommunication, Community-building, and Authenticity. The results indicate that Mr Charlie’s positioning is conducted through brand activism, wherein the brand highlights opposition and integrates contradictory communicative layers. In particular, Mr Charlie’s positions itself through the usage of McDonald’s as an adversary marker, an act argued to leverage the positioning of an activist brand. The study concludes that the communicative balance of brand activism and anti-brand activism results in a distinct position for Mr Charlie’s in the fast-food market. Consequently, the research contributes novel insights into branding in modern times.