How to sell a kettle
Business | Bartleby
How to sell a kettle
Brand positioning reaches boiling point
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Illustration: Simon Bailly
Jul 16th 2026|4 min read
You asked me to develop ideas for a new brand strategy. As a reminder, this is the messaging that we use at the moment: “If you want to boil water, you need a kettle. If you need a kettle, you want the Brewmaster. The fast, reliable and affordable way to make the perfect drink.” The positioning is practical, price-conscious and successful. But it is also unexciting. If we want to grow, we need to take a higher share of mind with a different sort of consumer.
I have put some sample copy for each positioning strategy below, and taken the liberty of adapting the product name and stressing planned new features where that feels appropriate. I look forward to hearing your comments when we meet in a couple of weeks.
This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline “Sell me this kettle”

From the July 18th 2026 edition
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