The Ad-Free Brand: Secrets to Building Successful Brands in a Digital World

5. The Internal Brand Positioning Rollout

For most ad-free brands, the internal rollout of the positioning is as or more important than the external rollout. Why? Because every employee of an ad-free brand must live the brand every day for the positioning to be effective. This is a prerequisite for any brand that wants to operate the ad-free way. Ad-free brands must channel the spirit of esse quam videri: to be rather than to seem to be.

In the old days, positioning was largely the work of the marketing team, advertising agency, or PR firm. Employees simply enjoyed seeing the ads, reading the press releases, and checking out the new website along with everyone else.

Every employee of an ad-free brand must live the brand every day....

No more. ...