The first of these two things an agency can learn through primary and secondary research and by firsthand field studies of members of the target audience. The second comes with having worked on branding and marketing campaigns for companies whose products or services are historically commoditized or where the market has been primarily price driven.

But third, and perhaps most important, they need an agency that is not afraid to speak truth to its client; the honest truth about their brand, even if it’s painful to hear. What Challenger Brands need and want most is honesty. Only then can the real work of shaping brands and engaging customers begin.

Challenger Brands have to develop a clear and resonant “voice” and speak with that one voice throughout all communications, internal and external. Good Challenger Brand agencies listen, monitor, help shape and advise until Challenger Brand companies become very, very good at projecting their brands.

Another special service that Challenger Brands need from their agencies is confidence-building support in the face of overriding pressure to conform. Challenger Brands are often pushed to adhere to standard industry practices, compare themselves to the market leader and compete according to unwritten rules that the market leader has established. If the Challenger’s products or services are truly breakthrough innovations, they may even be derided and ridiculed by the market leader whose continued success depends on the status quo.

This is where Challenger Brand agencies really shine. Their task is to reassure Challenger Brands and keep them focused on the prize; whispering affirmations in their ears as bold and provocative branding and marketing strategies are about to be executed.

And this is where true Challenger Brands show their stripes. They work through their fear and follow through.

When I first imagined my wedding, I chose what I thought was a unique theme – a sort of “rustic Tuscan” feel with rich colors. But as I struggled to choose “rustic” invitations and “rustic” centerpieces, something didn’t feel right. After a friend told me she was genuinely surprised by my chosen theme, it clicked – sure my wedding was different, but it wasn’t really me.

The problem was that I chose a theme just to be different, not because it reflected my style or personality – my “personal brand.” Rustic just isn’t my thing – I hate the color brown and refuse to be in touch with nature. As a result of the theme being off the mark, there was a lack of consistency with the event details, and my friends and family (the target audience) were getting mixed messages.

We all know that Challenger Brands need to be different to challenge market leaders, but that doesn’t need to mean losing sight of the overall brand message. Just like my original choice for a “rustic Tuscan” wedding theme didn’t fit my personal brand, Challengers shouldn’t execute a campaign only because it says something different. If your campaign message is too far from your company’s core values, you won’t be able to pay it off and will end up diminishing the brand.

Brands don’t happen overnight – they develop over time and through numerous interactions with your target market. Once you have invested the time to develop a brand identity for your company that’s differentiated and meaningful to consumers, hammer it into people’s heads. Be sure that your message is consistently repeated with every audience touch-point – whether it’s a campaign, social media or event, or in my case, save-the-date, centerpiece or cocktail napkin.

As for my wedding, I changed the theme to something that supports my personal brand – black and white with some vintage touches. Now it’s more sophisticated and polished – no “rustic” branches or brown in sight.