Category design is more than a buzzword—it’s a strategic framework that can fundamentally reshape your business. If you’re tired of fighting competitors for marginal gains or competing in saturated markets, category design might be your answer. It’s about creating a new space, a new market, where your company isn’t just competing—it’s defining the rules.
At Boken, we specialize in guiding businesses through this transformative process. Below, I’ll walk you through the key stages of category design, provide exercises to help you get started, and explain how we can partner with you to go deeper at each step.
What Is Category Design?
Category design is the deliberate process of creating, defining, and owning a new market category. It requires identifying an untapped problem, shaping a narrative around it, and positioning your business as the go-to solution. It’s not about being better—it’s about being different in a way that makes competitors irrelevant.
Take Salesforce, which didn’t just improve CRM software—they created the SaaS category and redefined how software was delivered. Or Peloton, which didn’t just sell stationary bikes—they created a category around immersive at-home fitness experiences.
Key Insight: The companies that win big aren’t those that compete within existing categories. They’re the ones that create new ones.
The Category Design Process
Category design is typically broken into three interconnected stages: Identify, Define, and Own. Each step builds on the last, and together they create the foundation for a category your company can dominate.
1. Identify: Find the Gap in the Market
The first step is uncovering an unaddressed or poorly addressed problem in your industry. This isn’t about inventing a new product—it’s about reframing the way people see an existing challenge.
Exercise: Problem Discovery
- List 10 common frustrations your ideal customers face.
- Ask yourself: Are these problems being solved effectively, or is there a gap in how they’re addressed?
- Prioritize the top three that align with your expertise and vision.
Example: Slack didn’t create workplace communication—they redefined it by positioning email as the problem and team messaging as the solution.
How Boken Helps:
We lead deep-dive workshops to uncover hidden opportunities in your market. Using tools like Strategyzer’s Value Proposition Canvas, we help identify gaps that competitors overlook.
2. Define: Create the Category Narrative
Once you’ve identified the problem, you need to frame it in a way that aligns with your solution. This is where storytelling becomes critical. Your narrative shapes how people perceive the problem and positions your company as the natural answer.
Exercise: Narrative Creation
- Write down how your ideal customers currently talk about their problem.
- Rewrite that narrative to reflect your solution, focusing on the pain points it addresses.
- Test your narrative with a small group of trusted customers or stakeholders.
Example: Airbnb didn’t just talk about short-term rentals—they framed their category around “belonging anywhere,” appealing to travelers seeking unique, personal experiences.
How Boken Helps:
We use the StoryBrand framework and our expertise in messaging to craft a compelling narrative that resonates with your target audience. From one-liners to full category stories, we ensure your messaging is clear, memorable, and market-shaping.
3. Own: Build and Market the Category
Defining the category is just the beginning. To truly own it, you need to build a movement around your idea. This involves creating a brand, designing a go-to-market strategy, and consistently reinforcing your narrative across every touchpoint.
Exercise: Category Ownership Plan
- Identify three ways you can educate the market about the problem you solve (e.g., content, events, partnerships).
- Audit your current marketing efforts—are they aligned with your category narrative?
- Develop a 90-day plan to launch your category, including bold moves like a “Lightning Strike” campaign to make a big splash.
Example: Tesla didn’t just sell electric cars—they built a movement around sustainability and innovation, making their category aspirational.
How Boken Helps:
From brand design to go-to-market strategy, we guide you through the execution phase. We create bold campaigns that position you as the category king, leveraging tactics like Lightning Strikes, behavior-driven ads, and customer education to establish your dominance.
How Boken Goes Deeper at Every Step
At Boken, we believe category design isn’t just about the strategy—it’s about execution. Here’s how we can partner with you at every stage of the process:
Step 1: Workshops and Market Research
- We facilitate workshops to uncover unique insights about your market and audience.
- We use tools like persona canvases, competitive analysis, and trend mapping to find the whitespace in your industry.
Step 2: Narrative Development and Messaging
- We craft your category story, ensuring it’s clear, engaging, and positioned to win.
- We develop content strategies and customer journeys to communicate your message effectively.
Step 3: Brand Building and Launch Strategy
- We design brands that embody your category vision, from visual identity to voice.
- We create high-impact campaigns, from digital ads to PR strategies, to launch and own your category.
Why Category Design Matters Now
The marketplace is noisier than ever, and incremental improvements no longer capture attention. Category design cuts through the noise by giving customers a new way to think about their problems—and positioning your company as the only answer.
If you’re tired of fighting to be better and ready to create something transformational, let’s talk. At Boken, we help businesses like yours move beyond competition and into market leadership.
Are you ready to own your category? Let’s talk.
