Jocko Willink: Brand Positioning Case Study

Most people reading this don’t know me (Tyler Speegle) personally, so I’m going to share some inside info with you: I’m not a very intense person.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m dedicated. Passionate. Driven. Focused (for the most part).

But if we ever happen to meet, I’m not going to intimidate you.

But the subject of today’s Brand Breakdown, Jocko Willink? Different story.

Jocko might be one of the most intense and intimidating people I’ve ever come across online. He posts daily photos of his wakeup time (4:30AM), the sweaty aftermath of his workouts (literal pictures of sweat pools on the floor), and the occasional leadership tip from his time as a SEAL commander.

Let’s get into it…

💼 The Brand: Jocko Willink

Jocko Willink is a retired US Navy Seal turned podcaster, author, leadership instructor, and entrepreneur. He’s known for his no-nonsense approach to discipline, leadership, and personal development. Outside of his podcast, he’s the cofounder of a leadership consulting company, Echolon Front. Owner of Origin — a US based high quality apparel company. And owner of JOCKO Fuel — a supplement company. 

💛 The Heart (Purpose & Values)

Jocko is on a mission to get everyone to take ownership in their life and exercise discipline. This comes from his experience as Seal platoon commander which was also the subject of his bestselling book Extreme Ownership.

His personality? For the most part it’s “Authoritative.” On his podcast, he’s often sharing from his vast military experience and from his success as a business owner.

Want to know if your brand personality is “Authoritative” like Jocko’s or another type? Take our 2-minute quiz here.

👤 The Head (Strategy & Positioning)

There’s been plenty of military thought leaders over the years, but none stand out quite like Jocko.

Part of it might be his intensity, but a lot of it has to do with his intentionality.

Every aspect of every company he owns bleeds his values of extreme discipline and operating without compromise.

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✋ The Hands (Tactics)

Here are a few of the ways Jocko expresses his brand personality:

• Behind the Scenes IG Content - One of my favorite things about Jocko is how he walks the talk. He’s not just recommending that you skip the snooze button, he’s posting pictures of his watch every morning at 4:30AM.

• JOCKO Fuel Website Copy - I love how “on brand” Jocko keeps everything on his supplement website. He doesn’t just slap his brand name on it, he breaks down specifically how JOCKO Fuel is a good choice for different disciplines.

• Origin Brand Building YouTube Series - Like I’ve already mentioned, I’m a big fan of how intentional Jocko is with everything he does. This includes building his apparel brand. Jocko is proud to be an American company and is recording an entire video series to document the behind the scenes process.

Steal The Strategy

Jocko is marketing smart. How? Everything he is building is designed for HIS target audience. He knows his face… his values… his brand is what’s selling his supplements, apparel, and books.

So he’s smart and infuses those values everywhere you look.

On JOCKO Fuel’s website, you’ll read “Hard work. Clean fuel. No excuses.”

On Origin’s website, you’ll read “Crafted in America. Built to work. Made for life.”

These are just cute slogans. They’re a representation of the heart of his brand.

You too can implement this strategy by infusing your “heart” into everything that you do. Don’t have a strong set of values or a vision? Start there. Get your heart right, and then move onto everything else.

You’ll be glad you did.

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