The Underdog Brand Position

Abstract: Title: The Underdog Brand Position Date of Seminar: 31-05-2023 Course: BUSN39 Degree Project in Global Marketing Authors: Diogo de Lima, Darragh Moorhouse & Can Üner Advisor: Mats Urde Key words: Underdog, Underdog Positioning, Branding, Rhetoric, Identity, Communication, Image, Top Dog. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the Underdog Brand Position (and its link to Rhetoric) to understand What is an Underdog Brand Position, How are Underdog Brand Positions Used and Why and When is an Underdog Brand Position a viable strategy. Methodology: A qualitative multiple case study with a constructionist approach. Case studies include the following brands: Polestar, Oatly, Sibylla, and Liquid Death. Theoretical Perspective: In order to develop an Underdog Positioning Framework we must examine the following in regard to Underdog Brands: Communication, Identity, Positioning, Image, and Rhetoric. Empirical Data: The empirical data consists of fifteen semi-structured interviews with Marketing Department Employees and Underdog Brand Experts, Consultants and Academics. We also benefited from secondary data in terms of visual ads and videos interviews. Conclusions: An Underdog Position is a method of categorisation for brands which are considered Underdogs. An Underdog Brand Position is ultimately a choice as communication shapes the Underdog Identity, leaving the brand to either embrace their Underdog status or not. The framework consists of four positions: Former Top Dog, Striving Underdog, Conscious Underdog and Fighting Underdog.