The Content Operators Playbook · 1. Positioning
Principle 3 of 3
A mission and an enemy
Name what you are against. The right people rally and the wrong ones bring them in.
Updated 2026-10-25
The brands that compound have a mission, and the fastest way to a mission is an enemy. Squibb’s is the school system, and anyone who tells you that you can’t. So who are you against? Name them in the hooks. Some people will get wound up, and that’s fine, because the wrong audience commenting is what brings the right one in.
How do I use it?
- Write the mission as one sentence about what the audience gets.
- Name the enemy: a belief, a habit or a type of person the audience already resents.
- Call out the wrong audience in the hooks, so the right one feels picked.
- Expect some people to be wound up. Their comments carry it to the people you want.
In his words
The biggest difference is essentially around mission and purpose, and often the shortcut to that is by creating an enemy.
Tom Sharman, 2026
Questions
What does "A mission and an enemy" mean?
A brand compounds when it has a mission, and the shortcut to a mission is an enemy. Call out the wrong audience on purpose.
How do I put "A mission and an enemy" into practice?
Write the mission as one sentence about what the audience gets. Name the enemy: a belief, a habit or a type of person the audience already resents. Call out the wrong audience in the hooks, so the right one feels picked.
Why does "A mission and an enemy" matter?
The brands that compound have a mission, and the fastest way to a mission is an enemy. Squibb's is the school system, and anyone who tells you that you can't.
