Why Most Brands Stay Behind: The Illusion of Being “Different”

Brands often live in their own bubble. They think their new product line or plan is going to change everything and take over the market.

But most of the time, their big idea is just a copy of someone else. They follow the same path that market leaders already built. After a while, you make a small change, call it your own, and move ahead because it’s already proven to work. It feels safe. Less scary.

That’s why it always keeps you behind.

Right now, many brands are copying the same playbook. Everyone wants to look like Poppi, or like Lays with their “clean ingredients.” Even junk food brands are now adding health claims. And the niche health brands? They’re trying to look more “mass.”

So now, every brand calls itself the “better” option. In every category.

But when everyone says the same thing, thinking they’re being different, they all end up in the same place — lost in a crowd of similar brands with the same promise and message.

Seeing the Whole Game

If you want to lead, if you want to thrive, if you want the biggest share, you need to see the full game — the whole market, all the players — then plan your move.

It’s not about thinking your next two moves. It’s about your next five or even ten.

Yes, today’s gurus say, “Just do it and figure it out later” or “experiment and see.” That works when you’re small. That works when your aspiration is small.

But if you’re running a big brand with multiple SKUs — or want to be one — you have to think years ahead.

The Real Strategy

You need to plan how competitors will react, where your audience is moving, where they’ll move next, and how to stay the leader or become one.

Because most brands don’t do strategy. They just copy.

Real strategy is thinking far ahead — creating a goal, preparing for what’s coming, and choosing the right moves for the long run.