The Challenge: Standing Out In a Saturated Market
In a crowded marketplace, your job isn’t to say why you’re great. It’s to show why you’re better than everyone else—and make that difference unmistakable.
That’s exactly what “Us vs. Them” marketing does.
It doesn’t just highlight your strengths—it delivers a side-by-side comparison that gives customers the clarity, confidence, and contrast they need to switch.
Naväge vs Neti Pot: How We Stole Market Share
When we acquired the nasal care brand Naväge, we were stepping into a category dominated by Neti Pot. Just like Kleenex or Q-Tip, they had the name recognition, the customer base, the inertia. For us to survive, we needed to steal their market share.
So instead of pretending they didn’t exist, we called them out directly with marketing that said here’s why we’re better than them:
This changed everything. It reframed the conversation, and it helped us scale in a vertical no one else wanted to touch.
3 Reasons Why “Us vs. Them” Works In 2025
1. It targets switch-ready buyers
Most customers aren’t new to the category. They’re already using some solution—they just haven’t been shown a better way yet. That’s your job.
2. It sharpens your ad targeting
Post-iOS 14.5, you need clear, contextual messaging that platforms can easily match to buyer intent. “Us vs. Them” does exactly that.
- It’s specific: It names the alternative your customer is likely already using, which gives shoppers a clear signal.
- It creates contrast: It visually and verbally highlights meaningful differences between your product and theirs.
- It increases ROAS: It helps platforms deliver your ad to the right people so it performs better on any channel.
3. It simplifies decision making
People aren’t looking for more options. They’re looking for a reason to choose. A direct comparison reduces decision fatigue and increases conversions.
10 Real-World Examples of “Us vs. Them” Ads
We’ve run this play across multiple brands—and as you can see, everyone from startups to billion-dollar brands are doing it to punch above their weight and win.
Naväge vs. Neti Pot
This is a textbook “Us vs. Them” example that uses a very visual side-by-side comparison and copy to show why Naväge’s powered suction system offers better performance and is an innovation over the old-school Neti Pot:
Grüns vs. AG1
Grüns goes straight at the market leader with this ad that compares ingredients side by side: less sugar, fewer calories, more fiber. It uses the “Us vs. Them” to position itself as the cleaner, more efficient upgrade:
Millie Moon vs. Coterie
Here Millie Moon uses “Us vs. Them” via a sponsored influencer post to position their budget-friendly brand as having the same quality and features to their higher-priced competitor:
Panda Pillow vs. Generic Pillow
This ad nails the comparison format. On the left: Panda’s breathable, hypoallergenic, supportive bamboo pillow. On the right: your generic pillow. It’s clear, visual, and doesn’t even need to call out a specific competitor:
I Heart Nature vs. Other Brands
This ad keeps it clean and literal. It shows two similar-looking soaps, but contrasts them with clear messaging about ingredients, formulation, and value:
Monday.com vs. Your Current CRM
This ad also skips traditional comparison copy and lets the imagery do the talking with a visual metaphor that communicates what every CRM buyer wants—clarity, simplicity, and control:
AgelessLX vs. “Fad” Diets
This ad flips the script by comparing results, not brands. Before & after is a similar concept on “Us vs. Them” that positions the product as a smarter, science-backed solution—without naming a competitor.
Pacasocks, Justuno, and Vavanmn:
And finally, here are 3 more examples to drive this home from Pacasocks, Justuno, and Vavanmn:
These 10 ads aren’t trying to be mean or aggressive. They’re clarifying. And they work because they show—not just tell—why the switch is worth it.
“Us vs. Them” Marketing Works Everywhere
This isn’t just a one-off play—it creates reusable assets you can deploy across your entire marketing ecosystem.
- Cold traffic
- Retargeting sequences
- Autoresponders
- Email flows
- Blog posts
- Influencer campaigns
- Product launches
You can plug this into almost any existing funnel you want to boost performance and build confidence in your customers.
How to Create Your “Us vs. Them” Marketing Funnel
Okay, now that you know what “Us vs. Them” marketing is and why it works, let’s walk through how to actually do it. The two core pieces you’ll need are a comparison ad that stops the scroll and a landing page that keeps the story going.
Step 1: Create Your Own “Us vs. Them” Ad
Your ad should do one job: create a clear, compelling contrast that makes your product the obvious upgrade. Here are 3 things to make your “Us vs. Them” ad compelling:
Strong Visual Comparison
Use side-by-side layout, labeled clearly (“Us” vs. “Them” or “Before” vs. “After”), and feature visible product differences like the examples above.
Hook the Pain or Category
Call out a pain point in the competition—something your target audience would know if they used it. Grüns does a good job of this with their post headline: “Who else is over messy green powders?”
Show the Upgrade Clearly
You want to make the contrast unmistakable in your headline, visuals, or bullet points. So show the tangible differences your product has over the competition. If you need help, here’s a list of differentiators to focus your message.
10 “Us vs. Them” Unique Selling Propositions:
- Price: More value for less money, or a premium price justified by superior benefits.
- Ingredients/Materials: Natural, organic, or ethically sourced vs. artificial, cheap, or chemical-based.
- Performance: Works faster, lasts longer, or delivers better results with less effort.
- Comfort: Softer, smoother, breathable, irritation-free, or ergonomically designed.
- Shipping Speed: Ships same-day or in 2 days vs. 7–10 day delays or overseas fulfillment.
- Warranty/Guarantee: Risk-free trial, extended warranty, or easy returns vs. no protections offered.
- Product Sourcing: Made in the USA, locally crafted, or sustainably sourced vs. mass-produced or unclear origin.
- Environmental Impact: Biodegradable, reusable, or plastic-free vs. disposable or harmful to the environment.
- Durability/Build Quality: Built to last longer, reinforced construction, better shelf life vs. breakable or short-term.
- Support/Experience: Concierge onboarding, dedicated customer service, or U.S.-based support vs. generic or no help.
Choosing 3-5 unique selling propositions from this list will help your customers instantly see why your product’s the upgrade they’ve been waiting for.
Step 2: Create Your “Us vs. Them” Landing Page
To get the most out of your comparison ad, you need a landing page that picks up where the ad leaves off. Otherwise, sending shoppers straight to a product page can create friction and cause them to lose context.
The easiest way to do this is to duplicate an existing sales page, then customize it with the following to match your ad:
- Add a clear headline
- Hook them with a relatable pain point
- Show 3–5 differences with a comparison table.
Keep it simple. Let the comparison do the heavy lifting.
Shameless plug—you can build an “Us vs. Them” sales page in minutes with Zipify Pages. Our landing page builder is packed with conversion tested templates, drag-and-drop blocks, and the easiest UX on Shopify.
Start a 14-day free trial to Zipify Pages here.
Ready to Launch Your Comparison Funnel?
This strategy is not about bashing your competitors, it’s about making the choice clear. If you come off petty, you’ll lose credibility and people will tune you out.
“Us vs. Them” marketing works because it answers the two questions every buyer is already asking:
- Why should I choose you?
- Why shouldn’t I choose them?
If you can answer them both clearly—and back it up with real, tangible proof—then you give your shoppers an undeniable reason to switch and buy your product.
Your Next Steps
- Choose a competitor product
- Identify 3–5 meaningful differences
- Create a visual scroll-stopping ad
- Launch a comparison landing page
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