Dustin Artz & Justin Bajan

How Challenger Brands Can Outsmart Market Leaders: A Playbook

Chances are, the brand you work on isn’t the market leader. It’s a challenger brand—the kind with less money and resources than its larger competitors. You can mimic the marketing efforts of the Goliaths in your industry, or you can zag with strategy and creative to outsmart them.

Join Dustin Artz and Justin Bajan, co-founders of Familiar Creatures, as they pull back the curtain on the playbook they use to help challenger brands punch above their weight. They’ve worked with some amazing brands, including Duke’s Mayonnaise, Crunch Fitness, Bubba Burger, and Kernel Season’s, to name a few.

Maybe you’ve seen the Duke’s Mayo Bowl Mayonnaise Bath, where a winning coach got doused in mayo while Flavor Flav hyped it up on the sidelines. Or maybe you’ve caught Crunch Fitness’ “Feel Good. Not Bad.” campaign that helped Crunch jump from #7 to #2 in awareness behind category leader Planet Fitness.

This is your chance to hear how they do it. From bold creative moves to strategic marketing plays, they’ll break down the unconventional approaches that help challenger brands stand out—and win.

Expect real-world case studies, behind-the-scenes insights, and actionable strategies you can use to turn your brand’s challenger status into a competitive advantage.

Who should attend?
Marketers, brand strategists, creative teams, and business owners who want to push past the obvious and craft marketing that actually makes an impact.

Don’t miss this chance to learn from two industry pros who’ve made a career out of helping brands zag when everyone else zigs.