Languaging

Strategic use of language to change thinking and create new value perceptions

Christopher Lochhead
How to become a category pirate

Languaging

"New languaging creates new thinking, and a demarcation point in language creates a demarcation point in thinking, which can create a demarcation point in perceived value. And she who changes and/or creates net new value perceptions wins." — Christopher Lochhead

What It Is

Languaging is the strategic use of language to change how people think about a problem, category, or solution. It's not just naming or branding—it's creating entirely new vocabulary that opens up new mental scaffolding for understanding value.

A mistake many entrepreneurs make is using old language to describe their new thing. But if you use existing language, you get existing mental models. If you want people to see something differently, you often need to give them new words to think with.

How It Works

Languaging creates competitive advantage through several mechanisms:

New Language Creates New Thinking: When Starbucks launched, coffee was 10 cents. They couldn't charge $3 for something everyone paid a quarter for—if they called it the same thing. So they created new language: "double grande latte," "venti." They literally taught consumers new vocabulary. This language created a demarcation point between 10-cent coffee and $3 coffee experiences.

The Company That Creates the Languaging Wins: In technology, the company that defines the category vocabulary becomes the category leader. OpenAI created "large language model" and "training data"—now the entire industry uses their terminology. This linguistic ownership becomes competitive advantage.

Meeting Categories Where They Are: You can't use so much new language that nobody knows what you're talking about. You have to meet the category where it is and bring people forward. Elisha Otis tried "safety elevator"—people didn't understand. Then he called it a "vertical railway"—people instantly understood because railways were a known concept. Same innovation, different language, different adoption.

Examples of Effective Languaging:

  • Starbucks: Invented an entire vocabulary (venti, grande, latte) that justified 30x price increases
  • OpenAI: "Large language model," "training data"—now industry standard
  • Elisha Otis: "Vertical railway" instead of "safety elevator" made the elevator's value instantly clear
  • Hipster coffee shops: They resist Starbucks language because using it would cede category ownership

How to Apply It

  1. Listen to the words - Examine the language currently used in your space. What assumptions and mental models does it create?

  2. Identify language traps - If you use existing language, you get existing perceptions. Ask: "What language is limiting how people think about this?"

  3. Create new vocabulary strategically - Develop terms that:

    • Are memorable and pronounceable
    • Create new mental scaffolding
    • Can't be used without referencing your solution
    • Bridge from known concepts to new understanding

  4. Meet people where they are - New language must connect to existing understanding. "Vertical railway" works because "railway" is known. Pure invention fails.

  5. Teach your language consistently - Starbucks trained millions of customers to order using their terms. Consistency in language creates category ownership.

  6. Defend your language - The hipster barista gives you a "grizzle" for using Starbucks terms because language ownership is competitive territory.

When to Use It

Languaging is essential when:

  • You're creating a new category and need vocabulary to describe it
  • Existing terminology limits perception of your value (you can't charge premium if you use commodity words)
  • You want to own the category conversation (whoever defines the terms wins)
  • Your innovation doesn't fit existing mental models (you need to give people new scaffolding)
  • You're differentiating from competitors (your language should be distinctly yours)

Languaging is NOT appropriate when:

  • You're in a commodity market where standard terminology helps customers compare
  • Your category is well-established and new terms would confuse rather than clarify
  • You're optimizing an existing product, not reframing a category

Source

  • Guest: Christopher Lochhead
  • Episode: "How to become a category pirate | Christopher Lochhead (Author of Play Bigger, Niche Down, more)"
  • Key Discussions:
    • (00:49:09) - Introduction to languaging concept
    • (00:51:14) - Elisha Otis "vertical railway" example
    • (00:54:50) - Starbucks language creation example
    • (00:56:52) - OpenAI creating "large language model" and "training data"
  • YouTube: Watch on YouTube

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