What Product Positioning Has in Common with Great Storytelling
Natalie Pantaleo learned the art of positioning from one of the industry’s greats—Joe Caserta, a bona fide “Mad Man” and partner at DSC Advertising,
where she worked for eight years of her career. Known for iconic campaigns like “The best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup” and “Be all that you can be” for the U.S. Army, Caserta helped shape household names and even put Showboat—the smallest casino in Atlantic City—on the map for six consecutive years as the Courier Post’s “Best Casino.”
But more than slogans, Pantaleo says what stuck most was Caserta’s core belief:
A campaign can look great, but if it doesn’t deliver a compelling message to the audiences that matter, it isn’t worth a thing.
It’s a lesson that would guide her throughout her marketing career—and one she continues to pass on to clients today.
“Positioning is one of the most essential steps in marketing,” she explains. “Yet it’s often overlooked—especially by small businesses that move reactively. They let tactics lead instead of strategy.” When done well, she adds, positioning provides not just clarity, but a competitive edge.
Pantaleo emphasizes the classic four pillars of brand positioning:
- Target audience
- Frame of reference
- Point of difference
- Reasons to believe
But the part that rarely gets discussed, she notes, is just how daunting the process can be. “As Stephen Diorio wrote in Forbes, brand positioning isn’t all art—it’s a lot of science. Rigor, iteration, experience—they all matter.”
Over time, Pantaleo developed her own process for uncovering what she calls “remarkability”—the unique, emotional core that connects what matters most to customers with what genuinely excites leadership. That’s the sweet spot, she says, where brands stop blending in and start resonating.
“Great positioning is like great storytelling,” Pantaleo explains. “It’s about nuance, understanding the audience, and listening closely to what makes someone light up when they talk about their work. It’s a rare kind of satisfaction when the message, the market, and the momentum all align—captured in a campaign that stops someone in their tracks and makes them pick up a phone, visit a website, or complete a purchase.”
That’s the heart of positioning. And just like storytelling, it’s the difference between bland and unforgettable.
