--- title: "Brand positioning vs brand stories: too many cereals and not enough zombies" description: "Brand positioning vs brand stories: too many cereals and not enough zombies" image: https://www.pkgbranding.com/hs-fs/file-4101450943-jpg/blog-files/brandstory-pkg-300x223.jpg --- [![PKG Packaging](https://www.pkgbranding.com/hubfs/PKG%20Jan20%20-%20assets/pkg-logo.png) ](https://www.pkgbranding.com/) [![Hangar12](https://www.pkgbranding.com/hubfs/Hanger%20Image/Hanger-12.webp) ](https://www.hangar-12.com/) [312.870.9101](tel:+1.312.870.9101) # Consumer First Insights ## Brand positioning vs brand stories: too many cereals and not enough zombies Written by Kevin Keating at PKG Rather than position your brand against competition, create a compelling story. Brand stories capture our imagination in ways that straightforward messages and data can’t. ![Brand's can improve their consumer experience by interpreting their positioning as a story](https://www.pkgbranding.com/hs-fs/file-4101450943-jpg/blog-files/brandstory-pkg-300x223.jpg?width=300&height=223&name=brandstory-pkg-300x223.jpg)In Ries and Trout’s pioneering theory of brand positioning the aim is to cut through the noise of ‘me-too’ products to establish a window or niche in the consumers mind. The metaphor always left me with an uncomfortable sensation of a growing number of windows and a shrinking amount of space in which to fit them. In 1981 when Ries and Trout’s bestseller was published (Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind) few can have truly foreseen the true extent to which our attention would be fought over with the growth of the Internet, wireless devices and the explosion of social media. Yet we are soaking up—and sharing—relentless streams of information. Most of us are ‘wired in’ every minute of our waking lives and happy to be so. The difference is that the dialogue is truly two-way and open-ended. The consumer is rapidly becoming king and it is the nature of the story that rules. Read more from the source: [popsop.com](http://popsop.com/63339) - [Facebook Share ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pkgbranding.com%2Fblog%2Fbrand-positioning-vs-brand-stories-too-many-cereals-and-not-enough-zombies%2F) - [Twitter Share ](https://twitter.com/home?status=Brand+positioning+vs+brand+stories%3A+too+many+cereals+and+not+enough+zombies%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pkgbranding.com%2Fblog%2Fbrand-positioning-vs-brand-stories-too-many-cereals-and-not-enough-zombies%2F) - [LinkedIn Share ](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pkgbranding.com%2Fblog%2Fbrand-positioning-vs-brand-stories-too-many-cereals-and-not-enough-zombies%2F&title=Brand%20positioning%20vs%20brand%20stories%3A%20too%20many%20cereals%20and%20not%20enough%20zombies&summary=Brand+positioning+vs+brand+stories%3A+too+many+cereals+and+not+enough+zombies&source=) - [Email Share ](mailto:?subject=Brand%20positioning%20vs%20brand%20stories%3A%20too%20many%20cereals%20and%20not%20enough%20zombies&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pkgbranding.com%2Fblog%2Fbrand-positioning-vs-brand-stories-too-many-cereals-and-not-enough-zombies%2F) ### Topics - [Blog](https://www.pkgbranding.com/blog/topic/blog) ### Related Posts [![How Multisensory Packaging Impacts Brand Loyalty](https://assets.seobotai.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=75,w=1536,h=1024/pkgbranding.com/699e3f7cefc60cc2af09b0fd-1771990125261.jpg) How Multisensory Packaging Impacts Brand Loyalty Kevin Keating at PKG ](https://www.pkgbranding.com/blog/multisensory-packaging-impacts-brand-loyalty) [![7 Emotional Triggers That Drive Packaging Success](https://assets.seobotai.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=75,w=1536,h=1024/pkgbranding.com/699d6a34efc60cc2af09912c-1771927424595.jpg) 7 Emotional Triggers That Drive Packaging Success Kevin Keating at PKG ](https://www.pkgbranding.com/blog/emotional-triggers-packaging-success) [![How Social Media Listening Improves Packaging Design](https://assets.seobotai.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=75,w=1536,h=1024/pkgbranding.com/699d5fe4efc60cc2af098e8a-1771924055807.jpg) How Social Media Listening Improves Packaging Design Kevin Keating at PKG ](https://www.pkgbranding.com/blog/social-media-listening-improves-packaging-design) ### Subscribe Now! ### Subscribe Now!     **Awarded Top 50** **Package Design ****Blog**   [![Packaging-Design-transparent_216px](https://blog-cdn.feedspot.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Packaging-Design-transparent_216px.png)](http://blog.feedspot.com/packaging_design_blogs/) - [How Multisensory Packaging Impacts Brand Loyalty](https://www.pkgbranding.com/blog/multisensory-packaging-impacts-brand-loyalty) - [7 Emotional Triggers That Drive Packaging Success](https://www.pkgbranding.com/blog/emotional-triggers-packaging-success) - [How Social Media Listening Improves Packaging Design](https://www.pkgbranding.com/blog/social-media-listening-improves-packaging-design) - [11 Examples of Functional Packaging Features](https://www.pkgbranding.com/blog/functional-packaging-features-examples) - [Competitor Analysis for Shelf Differentiation](https://www.pkgbranding.com/blog/competitor-analysis-for-shelf-differentiation) - [Typography Checklist for Packaging](https://www.pkgbranding.com/blog/typography-checklist-packaging) - [Top Biodegradable Packaging Myths Consumers Believe](https://www.pkgbranding.com/blog/biodegradable-packaging-myths-consumers-believe) - [Macro Photography for Food Packaging Design](https://www.pkgbranding.com/blog/macro-photography-food-packaging-design) - [Glass Packaging Benefits for CPG Brands](https://www.pkgbranding.com/blog/glass-packaging-benefits-cpg-brands) - [Pet Food Packaging: FDA Rules to Know](https://www.pkgbranding.com/blog/pet-food-packaging-fda-rules) ![Best package design agencies](https://www.pkgbranding.com/hubfs/badge-package-design-agencies.svg)   Recognized as a Top Package Design Agency on [DesignRush](https://www.designrush.com/agency/package-design) PKG BRAND DESIGN 2045 W Grand Ave, STE B-27332 Chicago, IL 60612-1576 [312.870.9101](tel:+1.312.870.9101) ![PKG Best Packaging Design Agency in Chicago](https://www.pkgbranding.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screenshot%202025-09-22%20at%2010.33.31%20PM.png?width=722&height=284&name=Screenshot%202025-09-22%20at%2010.33.31%20PM.png) [Request a Free Consultation](https://www.pkgbranding.com/request-a-consultation) [![A Hangar 12 Agency](https://www.pkgbranding.com/hubfs/assets/dev/img/a-hangar12-agency-logo-transparent.png)](https://www.hangar-12.com/) © 2026 PKG Brand Design. All Rights Reserved ![linkedin](https://dc.ads.linkedin.com/collect/?pid=315946&fmt=gif) ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Kevin Keating at PKG" }, "dateModified" : "April 22, 2016, 2:57:06 AM", "datePublished" : "2013-07-05 09:24:00", "description" : "Brand positioning vs brand stories: too many cereals and not enough zombies", "headline" : "Brand positioning vs brand stories: too many cereals and not enough zombies", "image" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/537000/file-4101450943-jpg/blog-files/brandstory-pkg-300x223.jpg" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/537000/PKG-1.png" }, "name" : "PKG Brand Design" } } ```