Dec 5, 2024
Crafting Bayan: The Journey to our unique positioning
Positioning a brand is never a linear journey; neither was it in this case. It was a process of exploration, reflection, and refinement. As I set out to define Bayan’s positioning, I knew it needed to be something special—a unique blend of Filipino creativity, cultural heritage, and global impact. But how could I communicate this in a way that resonated with a Dutch audience while staying true to this idea? This is the story of how Bayan’s positioning came to life, and I hope that the doubts, thoughts, and realizations I had will help you if you are on the same journey.
Starting with the Heart of Bayan
Bayan was not supposed to be (and will never be) 'just another marketing agency.' It mirrors the Filipino spirit of bayanihan—collaboration, unity, and collective effort. I wanted this essence to guide every aspect of the brand, but translating a deep cultural value into a global, accessible positioning was a challenge I was excited to take on.
I began by asking myself, What makes Bayan different? It wasn't just about offering marketing services but about how we operated, who Bayan wants to work with, and why we do the work we do. The talent we bring in—undiscovered in The Netherlands should be at the heart of our story.
Defining our segment
Initially, I considered narrowing the segment to focus on mid-sized SaaS and IT companies. These industries needed help explaining their complex products engagingly, and we knew we could bring our storytelling expertise to the table. Furthermore, as a marketer, I gained a lot of experience in these markets. So, if I would follow all the positioning playbooks, this is the road to take, right? But as I developed the idea of Bayan further, something didn't sit right.
Bayan needed to be more significant than this single industry. The spirit of bayanihan, which is about serving everyone in your community, our dedication to paying Filipino creatives fairly, and our commitment to supporting NGOs meant we needed to broaden our scope. I shifted from a singular focus to something more values-driven: working with brands, organizations, and mission-driven companies that shared our passion for creativity, collaboration, and purpose.
Discovering our voice
Crafting Bayan's voice was, and is still, a challenge in this startup period. We want to be professional yet warm, innovative, but deeply human. Our core message came from realizing that marketing often lacks heart. All the agencies I've worked with as a marketer focus solely on metrics and miss a human connection to their customers, and after a while, the agency tries to get away with doing as little as possible so they can juggle as many accounts as possible. We want to bring the deep connection freelancers often create within a company to an agency environment. We saw our role as filling that gap.
This insight led to our core statement:
"Marketing with heart and purpose."
It was short and clear and tells everything we stand for—connection, collaboration, and true impact.
A manifesto as a compass
To engrave the vision, I wrote Bayan’s manifesto. It became a compass, guiding every decision I made. The manifesto didn’t just speak to what Bayan does—it articulated why we do it. From empowering Filipino creatives with fair pay to offering discounted services to NGOs, I built a narrative that reflected our values and purpose.
End Note
Positioning Bayan was a process of aligning our values, strengths, and purpose with the needs of our audience. It reminded us that the best brands aren’t built overnight. This is only the beginning for Bayan, and we can’t wait to bring more stories to life. Feel free to reach out if you are struggling with positioning your brand like I was. I don't expect anything back; that's the bayanihan way.
Until next time,
Jeffrey