Top Dog Versus Underdog

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 How Global Brands Can Leapfrog Local Competitors

  • What is the brand strategy being used by the top dog? What is the brand strategy being used by the underdog?

        The top dog brand strategy focuses on maintaining its market dominance. These companies highlight their long term reliability and customer satisfaction while also appealing to the majority. They are seen quickly addressing and reinforcing when competitors are innovative. The underdog strategy is to accept being the underdog and use this standpoint to be more relatable and different. They rely on emotional connections with their audience and target specific segments. 





  • How can the underdog improve its strategy so that it can gain more market share and surpass the top dog? Provide three recommendations.

        By using innovative approaches the underdog has a chance against the top dog in the same market. The underdog company could identify categories where other brands fall short, such as sustainability, and address them. The underdog would need to conduct market research to find these pain points and other dissatisfactions before crafting a solution. Another aspect the underdog can consider is utilizing technology to their advantage in their campaigns. Digital innovation is a large aspect in today’s marketing and investing in technology could be an advantage. Lastly, underdog brands are reliant on building a strong emotional connection with their audience. They can include influencer or celebrity partnerships with their content focusing on humanizing the brand. 





  • Why do you believe consumers prefer the top dog over the underdog? Which do you prefer, and why?

        Consumers prefer the top dog because of their long term reliability. It may be a brand or product that they have used for years and never fails them. Choosing a new brand, while you already have a favorite, is a risk as you may not like the new one. The top dog also has wider accessibility and stronger marketing to reach more people. Personally, I don’t prefer either. When choose a brand or product I don’t think to myself if they are consider a top dog or underdog. I’m sure unconsciously I choose top dog more as they are most likely marketed the strongest. I also find myself being drawn to new brands also, as innovative packaging is attention grabbing to me. 









He, Y., You, Y., & Chen, Q. (2020). Our conditional love for the underdog: The effect of brand positioning and the lay theory of achievement on WOM. Journal of Business Research, 118, 210–222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.06.007

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WatchMojo.com. (2014). Top 10 Business Rivalries [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OE4Q60Dzyw


What is Demography? (n.d.). Www.youtube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRWfI4suaD8


Bozigian, C. (2021, December 1). 6 Types Of Branding Strategies [Examples & Applications]. Digital Silk. https://www.digitalsilk.com/digital-trends/types-of-branding-strategies/

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