#102: How to stand out in a crowded space | Elan Miller (Founder @ Off-Menu)
Supra Insider
Opinionated positioning and enduring 'why'
Elan defines opinionated brands as those rooted in a consistent why, enabling focused choices and long-term growth.
What happens when everyone can build, but no one breaks through the noise?
In this episode of Supra Insider, Ben Erez sits down with Elan Miller, founder and CEO of branding and design studio Off-Menu, for the podcast’s first live in-person recording. Elan unpacks why this moment is uniquely challenging for brand storytelling—AI has made it easier than ever to build and ship products, but harder than ever to get people to care. He explains how the standard tech playbook (great product + clever go-to-market) no longer works when 10 competitors can copy you within a month, and why honorable points of view are the only sustainable moat.
They explore Anthropic’s Keep Thinking campaign and Super Bowl ads as a masterclass in positioning against OpenAI, discuss why successful positioning must repel people as much as it resonates, and unpack the Granola rebrand (including Ben’s honest reaction as a customer). Elan shares why most rebrands fail (visual makeover without moving anything forward), the different reasons companies should rebrand (talent attraction, internal alignment, crossing the chasm), and his process for finding the “holy s**t insight” that makes people feel seen. Plus, how he’s building AI tools that turn brand strategy into practical inputs for higher-quality outputs, and why strong point of view is the antidote to slop.
If you’re building in a crowded space and struggling to stand out, wondering whether a rebrand is the right move, or trying to articulate what makes you different in a way that actually resonates—this episode is for you.
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In this episode, we covered the following topics:
* (02:25) Never been easier to build with AI, never been harder to get people to care
* (03:20) If your product works, 10 people copy you within a month—honorable POV is the only moat
* (05:00) Anthropic/Claude case study: Keep Thinking campaign, NYC popup, Super Bowl ads
* (10:10) The enemy question: if your brand had an enemy, who would it be and why?
* (18:30) Granola rebrand discussion: Ben’s honest reaction as a customer
* (29:20) When is a rebrand the right move? Start with the problem you’re trying to solve
* (30:20) The process: what do we believe that nobody else believes? Why should anybody care?
* (38:00) AI opportunity: strong point of view as input for better outputs—antidote to slop
* (50:15) Who Off Menu turns away vs. who they’re perfect for: big bets to reach inflection points
* (1:02:25) Tech world about to operate like CPG: best story wins, not best product
* (1:12:50) Rubric-based coaching: working backwards from what interviewers actually evaluate
* (1:17:20) Personal trainer analogy: not doing reps for you, showing form and pacing
* (1:29:10) When things are fun, nobody can compete with you
* (1:31:10) Gratitude Corner: thanking his parents and anyone who’s taken a bet on him
* And more!
Links:
* Off-Menu: https://www.off-menu.com/
* Off-Menu Newsletter: offmenu.substack.com
* Elan’s X: https://x.com/elanmiller
* Elan Miller: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elanmiller/
* Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/
* Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/
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