#102: How to stand out in a crowded space | Elan Miller (Founder @ Off-Menu)

Mar 16, 2026

Elan Miller, founder and CEO of design studio Off-Menu who advises brands on positioning and writes about brand strategy and AI. He breaks down why storytelling matters more in the AI era. He analyzes Anthropic’s positioning, explains why positioning must repel as well as resonate, and lays out when and how rebrands and brand tools actually move the needle.

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ADVICE

Start Rebrands By Defining The Problem

Start any rebrand by asking why: define the business problem you're solving (talent, alignment, chasm crossing).
Use the answer to determine scope and budget; a $500k–$1M rebrand can 10x ROI if it unlocks the next growth stage.

INSIGHT

Positioning Needs To Repel To Be Memorable

Strong positioning must repel as much as it resonates; an enemy or stance forces clarity and memorable differentiation.
Elan's process asks who the brand's enemy is to force a distinct point of view that motivates fans and repels others.

ANECDOTE

A Loyal User's Backlash To Granola's Rebrand

Ben's emotional reaction to Granola: the product delivered calm and peace of mind, which drove his word-of-mouth advocacy.
After Granola's rebrand he felt betrayed: the new green spiral felt derivative and reduced the brand's premium clarity.

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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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Want company-specific interview intel?

If you’re preparing for PM interviews at OpenAI, Google, Stripe, DoorDash, Uber, or Figma… we think you’re going to love Insider Loops. You can read about it in Ben’s LI post, Marc’s LI post or check out the site directly below.

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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