Elite Yet Approachable Positioning
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A framework for building a high-end brand that balances elite positioning with approachable personality, based on Sam Parr's experience building Hampton.
Core Brand Philosophy
- Elite but cheeky - combining high-end positioning with conversational, approachable tone
- Inspired by Felix Dennis - successful businessman with swagger who wrote conversationally
- Aims to feel prestigious while maintaining personality and accessibility
Brand Development Process
- Hired branding agency for $15,000
- Created detailed brand document with single line focus: "elite but cheeky"
- Drew inspiration from:
- 1970s luxury advertising (Rolex, GQ, Porsche)
- Wall Street Journal ads ("Money talks, we translate")
- British racing green color palette (Land Rover, Jaguar)
Visual Elements
- Primary color: British racing green
- Associated with luxury automotive brands
- Conveys prestige and heritage
- Design inspiration from vintage luxury ads
- Rolex "Men Who Built the World" campaign
- Focus on aspirational yet achievable positioning
Naming Strategy
- Used local street names from childhood neighborhood
- Considered options:
- Maclin
- Sablette
- Simpson
- Kings Highway
- Hampton (chosen winner)
- Name should sound prestigious but not pretentious
Key Learnings
- Branding agencies can be valuable despite seeming indulgent
- Strong founder story should be incorporated (initially avoided but recognized as mistake)
- High-end positioning requires careful balance of exclusivity and accessibility
- Visual identity should reflect both premium quality and personality
Sam Parr
Host of MFM and fitness influencer
Sam Parr is a serial entrepreneur and business media pioneer.
In 2016, he founded The Hustle, a business news media company that started in his kitchen with just $12 and grew to eight figures in revenue.
Sam led the charge in making newsletters popular when few believed in their potential.
After four successful years, he sold The Hustle to HubSpot, a publicly traded company. Now operating as HubSpot Media, The Hustle reaches 3 million readers daily, employs a team of nearly 100, and has been the launchpad for dozens of its staff to found their own media companies and newsletters.
Sam remains the host of the popular business podcast, My First Million, and continues to start and sell companies. He also co-founded Hampton, a highly vetted community for entrepreneurs, founders, and CEOs, and teaches people to write better through his platform, Copy That.