The "no name" playbook: How boring beats flashy 🟡
Canada's most basic brand has a cult following. Here's how to steal their strategy.
Hey there 👋
Sam here with your Friday Quick Growth Idea.
Today we're learning from Canada's most boring brand. Yellow background. Black text. That's it.
"no name" grocery brand hasn't changed in 40 years. While competitors scream about savings, no name just... exist.
Does it work? They have a cult following. 6K likes on biscuit photos. Merch sells out overnight.
Most freelancers and solopreneurs sound like this: "Web design AND copywriting AND social media AND consulting AND..."
no name did the opposite. Focus on one thing and reject fancy bullsh*t.
That's it. That's the brand.
Below are 3 steps to steal no name’s genius strategy.
🚌 1: Find Your Empty Bus Seat (Separation)
Most brands glance around and squeeze in wherever there's space. no name marched to the top deck, found an empty seat, painted it yellow, and claimed it forever.
Freelancers/solopreneurs need to stop fighting in crowded spaces.
Instead of: "Full-service marketing consultant"
Try: "I only fix checkout pages that convert under 2%"
Instead of: "Graphic designer for all businesses"
Try: "Logo designer exclusively for SaaS startups"
Instead of: "Social media manager"
Try: "I only grow LinkedIn audiences for B2B SaaS CEOs"
You escape competition through separation, not by being better at the same thing.
⚡ 2: Embrace Brutal Focus (Limitation)
no name could expand into premium products, fancy packaging, or complex marketing campaigns. They don't.
Their singular focus: Rejecting superficiality.
Limitation isn't weakness - it's your superpower if done right. Look at these brands:
Rolex: Never sells a watch under $5,000
Doubletree: Giving chocolate chip cookies at check-in for 40 years
In 2025, limitation becomes your moat.
Email copywriter example:
Only write abandoned cart sequences
Charge $2K minimum
Turn down everything else
Become THE cart recovery person
Landing page designer example:
Only design SaaS signup pages
Only work with Series A+ companies
Premium pricing through focus
Own that specific market
🔄 3. Repeat Your One Joke Forever (Consistency)
no name's joke: "We're so anti-fancy, we won't even try."
40 years. Same joke, and it gets funnier with repetition.
Here’s a consistency checklist you can follow:
✓ Same core message across all platforms
✓ Same visual identity (pick your "yellow")
✓ Same tone of voice in every interaction
✓ Same specific problem you solve
Stop trying to be overly creative with positioning. Find your yellow and paint everything just like no name did below 👇
📅 Your Anti-Brand Action Plan
Week 1: Find Your Separation
List your top 5 competitors
Identify what they ALL do the same
Go the opposite direction
Claim your empty yellow seat
Week 2: Embrace Limitation
Pick ONE specific problem you solve
Delete everything else from your website
Raise your prices (scarcity = value)
Turn down projects outside your focus
Week 3: Build Consistency
Choose your visual "yellow" (colour, font, style)
Rewrite all copy with the same core message
Update every platform with identical positioning
Start telling your "one joke" everywhere
Week 4: Test & Measure
Track lead quality (better fit = higher close rate)
Monitor pricing conversations (less pushback?)
Count referrals (clearer positioning = more referrals)
Adjust based on results
💡 Your Friday takeaway
The most powerful brands aren't the loudest. They're the most consistent.
Find your yellow. Paint everything. Watch competitors fail to copy something so simple it seems stupid.
I'm testing the principles learned from no name myself.
All my Fiverr gigs have the same bold visual style - blues, similar layouts, consistent messaging. While everyone else blends together in search results, this allows me to separate from the competition, limit my services (conversion-based copywriting), and create consistency.
Remember, separation, limitation, and consistency. Steal this Quick Growth Idea and run with it! 🟡
See you next week 🚀
Sam
—If you enjoyed issue #02, please tap the Like button below ♥️ Thank you!
The light bulb moment: "The most powerful brands aren't the loudest. They're the most consistent."
Why?
Consistent = reliable.