Strategic Enemy Goodie Bag
We celebrated the launch of my new book in style! See the brands in the goodie bag that leverage the power of a Strategic Enemy.
The Strategic Enemy is here. And to launch it right, I threw a big party to celebrate. We celebrated not just the book but my favorite brands that leverage the theory. On display and in the goodie bags were brands that didn’t rise to the top by being “better” they rose by being against something.
These brands picked fights.
They made enemies.
They took sides.
And in doing so, they became unforgettable.
From the canned water that took on plastics, to the wipes that declared war on toilet paper, every brand at the party had a clear villain and a visual hammer to drive it into the mind with memorability and emotion.
Liquid Death: Mountain water in a tallboy can.
The Enemy: Plastic water bottles.
Liquid Death murders your thirst and the plastic industry with a tallboy can that looks more like beer than spring water. It’s hydration with attitude, taking aim at soulless corporate water brands.
Dude Wipes: Wet bathroom wipes.
The Enemy: Dry toilet paper.
Dude Wipes declared war on toilet paper. Dry paper is outdated, ineffective, and frankly, gross. Real men wipe smarter. (Women too!)
Oatly: Oat milk.
The Enemy: Cow’s Milk.
Oatly didn’t market oat milk as “better.” It positioned dairy as wrong. Cow’s milk is for baby cows. Oatly is for people. Wow No Cow!
Gem Bites: The first real-food multivitamin.
The Enemy: Synthetic vitamins and gummies.
Gem Bites didn’t just rethink vitamins, they rejected the synthetic pill industry entirely. Gem delivers nutrients from real food. It’s not a supplement, it’s a stand. Against artificial. Against pharma.
Athletic Brewing: Real Non-Alcoholic craft beer.
The Enemy: Boozy beer and zero-proof line extensions.
Athletic didn’t slap a NA label on an existing brew, it started from scratch and is pioneering a revolution. While other NA beers are afterthoughts with no identity, Athletic is the only one you can order by name. It tastes like beer, drinks like beer, and positions like a real craft brand. This isn’t a compromise. It’s a category shift. Ask for it.
Siete: Grain-free Mexican-American food.
The Enemy: Grain. The gut-bomb behind most tortillas and chips.
Siete didn’t just make a “better-for-you” tortilla. They said no to grain altogether, the core ingredient of all things Mexican. Siete swapped it out without sacrificing flavor or heritage. This is a food revolution rooted in culture, not compromise. Grain is out. Family is in.
Graza: Squeezable olive oil.
The Enemy: Fancy glass-bottle olive oils.
Graza didn’t try copy the crowd, it did differently. The way chefs have for decades and squeezed it out in a plastic bottle. While most oils collect dust in expensive glass bottles, Graza comes in a bright green squeeze bottles. It’s approachable, honest, delicious and fun to use.
RXBAR: Protein bars with nothing to hide.
The Enemy: Overprocessed bars too many ingredients.
RXBAR didn’t just list ingredients on the front of the package, it exposed the lies of the others filled with B.S. (Bad Stuff) While other bars hide the bad stuff in the fine print, RXBAR made “no B.S.” its rallying cry. It’s not just what’s in the bar, it’s what isn’t.
These brands didn’t win by being better. They won by being against something. Each one drew a clear line in the sand. That’s not a marketing gimmick. That’s a strategic enemy and it’s the most powerful positioning tool.
If you came to the party, you saw it firsthand. If you didn’t… well, lucky for you, the war has just begun.
Go pick your fight.
Except for Oatly, all my favorite brands with an enemy were in the party goodie bags along with a delicious cookie from my favorite family bakery Rhodes in Atlanta.
