Why Your Brand Shouldn't Try to Be Everything: Lessons from 'The Origin of Brands'

In today’s saturated digital marketplace, the temptation to expand your product offerings, enter new categories, and do “just one more thing” is strong. But if you're aiming for long-term e-commerce success, here's a bold truth worth remembering:

The most successful brands don’t converge—they diverge.

That’s the central thesis of The Origin of Brands by Al Ries and Laura Ries, a game-changing book that explores how brands grow through the same principles as evolution: branching, specialization, and category creation. And for e-commerce entrepreneurs looking to scale intelligently, these lessons are more relevant than ever.

Let’s break it down.

1. Divergence Creates New Markets

You don’t win by making a better version of what already exists—you win by creating something new.

Think about how categories have evolved:

• From soda → energy drinks → functional beverages → hydration powders

• From phones → smartphones → rugged phones → kids' phones → flip phones for seniors

• From generic T-shirts → streetwear → eco-friendly basics → state- or city-branded collections

Every step is a divergence—a new category, built on a more specific customer need.

👉 Takeaway for E-Commerce Brands:

Find the unmet need in your niche and own it. Create a new subcategory if you can—don't fight over space in an overcrowded market. Be the first in something, even if it's a micro-niche.

2. Trying to Be Everything Weakens Your Brand

One of the biggest mistakes growing brands make is believing that more = better. More products, more categories, more audiences. But in reality, brand extensions often dilute your message.

The Origin of Brands gives plenty of examples: why Colgate lasagna or Harley-Davidson perfume didn’t work. Because when a brand steps outside its core identity, it creates confusion—not loyalty.

👉 Takeaway:

If you want to launch a new product that doesn’t align with your core brand, create a new brand. Build a fresh identity around that new idea. Your original brand will stay strong, and your new venture will have room to thrive.

3. Brands Are Built in the Mind—Not the Marketplace

People don’t buy products. They buy perceptions.

And perception is clearest when a brand stands for one thing. When your message is focused, it sticks. When it’s broad or confusing, it fades.

Apple isn’t known for smart toasters. Patagonia doesn’t make yoga mats. They’ve mastered the art of brand focus.

👉 Takeaway:

Be crystal clear about your positioning. What is the one thing you want customers to think of when they see your brand? Build every touchpoint—visuals, copy, product, experience—around reinforcing that idea.

4. Category Creators Win the Long Game

Red Bull didn’t win the soda war—it created the energy drink category. Spanx didn’t compete with underwear—it launched shapewear. Airbnb didn’t try to beat hotels—it created a whole new way to travel.

This is the power of category creation. And in a world where digital brands are launching every day, it’s your best bet to stand out.

👉 Takeaway:

You don’t need to dominate a crowded space. You need to create your own. Don’t chase trends—set them by solving a problem in a new way, with a focused product and a fresh voice.

Grow by Going Deeper, Not Broader

At Erobre, we believe in building e-commerce brands that last. That doesn’t happen by being everything to everyone—it happens by being the go-to for someone specific.

So before you launch that new product line or chase another audience, ask yourself:

• Does this align with my brand’s core identity?

• Am I expanding within my lane—or leaving it?

• Would this be better served as a new, focused brand?

Remember: divergence creates opportunity. Your next breakthrough might not come from adding more to your brand—but from carving out something entirely new.