A brand becomes remarkable when it changes the Meaning Factcheck Usage

When Seth Godin says a brand becomes remarkable by changing the conversation, he’s giving you the ultimate marketing cheat code. It’s not about being the loudest voice in the room, but the one that shifts the entire discussion. Let’s break down how you can actually do that.

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Table of Contents

• Meaning
• Explanation
• Origin & Factcheck
• Context
• Usage Examples
• FAQ

Meaning

At its core, this means true remarkability isn’t about shouting your message. It’s about making your message so fundamentally different and valuable that it redefines what people even talk about in your industry.

Explanation

Look, I’ve seen this play out so many times. Most brands are stuck in what I call the ‘feature-price loop.’ They just talk about their product’s specs and their price, right? It’s a boring, commoditized conversation that nobody really cares about.

Changing the conversation means you stop playing that game. You introduce a new frame, a new idea that makes the old arguments irrelevant. You’re not just a better option; you’re a different category of thought altogether. It’s the difference between selling a slightly quieter vacuum cleaner and Dyson introducing “cyclone technology” and making bagged vacuums seem obsolete. They changed the conversation from “suction power” to “no loss of suction.” Game over.

Quote Summary

Context	Attributes
Original Language	English (3668)
Category	Business (233)
Topics	branding (15), change (101), innovation (32)
Literary Style	insightful (43), sharp (11)
Emotion / Mood	strategic (66)
Overall Quote Score	85 (305)

Origin & Factcheck

This idea is straight from Godin’s 2003 book, Purple Cow, which was published in the United States. It’s a cornerstone of his philosophy. You sometimes see this sentiment paraphrased online and attributed to others, but the core concept of “changing the conversation” as a path to being remarkable is pure Godin.

Attribution Summary

Context	Attributes
Author	Seth Godin (100)
Source Type	Book (4032)
Source/Book Name	Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable (43)
Origin Timeperiod	21st Century (1892)
Original Language	English (3668)
Authenticity	Verified (4032)

Where is this quotation located?

Quotation	A brand becomes remarkable when it changes the conversation
Book Details	Publication Year/Date: 2003; ISBN/Unique Identifier: 9781591843177; Last edition: 2010; Number of pages: 160.
Where is it?	Chapter 44: Change the Conversation, page 145/160

Context

In the book, this is the logical conclusion of the “Purple Cow” metaphor. You can’t just be a slightly better brown cow. You have to be a purple one—something truly unusual that forces people to sit up, take notice, and talk. Changing the conversation is the active result of having built that Purple Cow.

Usage Examples

So how do you use this? It’s for any marketer, founder, or creator who feels invisible.

• For a SaaS company: Instead of talking about “more features,” change the conversation to “how we save your team 10 hours a week.” The talk is now about time and freedom, not software checkboxes.
• For a local coffee shop: Don’t compete on price with Starbucks. Change the conversation to “single-origin, ethically sourced beans and the story behind every cup.” You’re not selling coffee; you’re selling an experience and a value system.
• For a freelance designer: Stop talking about “beautiful designs.” Change the conversation to “designs that convert visitors into customers.” You’re now a business growth partner, not just a pixel-pusher.

To whom it appeals?

Context	Attributes
Theme	Principle (838)
Audiences	brand strategists (10), entrepreneurs (1006), executives (119), marketers (166), students (3111)
Usage Context/Scenario	advertising summits (2), brand innovation workshops (1), business leadership talks (2), creative sessions (5), marketing strategy meetings (3)

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FAQ

Question: How is this different from just having a unique selling proposition (USP)?
Answer: A USP is often a claim within the existing conversation (“Our soap moisturizes 20% better”). Changing the conversation moves the goalposts entirely (“Our soap is a microbiome-friendly skincare ritual”).

Question: Can a small business with a small budget really do this?
Answer: Absolutely. In fact, they’re often better at it. They’re agile. They don’t have layers of approval. A single, powerful idea shared authentically on social media can change a local conversation overnight. Big companies are often the slow, brown cows.

Question: What’s the first step to changing the conversation?
Answer: Listen. Listen to what everyone in your space is saying. Identify the clichés, the tired arguments, the points of friction customers hate. Your new conversation starts by directly addressing those pains with a fresh, unexpected perspective.