When a brand sallies forth into the marketplace, there are essentially two bases on which it can compete. The first is competing on brand preference by convincing buyers to opt for Brand A over comparable Brands X, Y, and Z. This is the kind of competition that takes place in well established categories and subcategories, and it is a tough and constant slog. The second, competing on Brand Relevance [the link is to my book of the same title], involves presenting customers with a choice compared to which competitors’ offerings seem irrelevant. This is the route that breakthrough brands take, and is for most marketers the only route to growth and profitability.