This is lesson twenty. This is towards one of our missions. Education. You’ll learn everything about marketing — from the basics to the most advanced strategies — for free, thanks to VellumWorks.
Most organisations spend their time fighting for attention: competing, shouting louder, and trying to “win” against alternatives.
That world is called the Red Ocean: crowded, competitive, expensive, and exhausting.
But there’s another path.
One where you don’t compete. One where you create something so unique that you stand alone.
That’s the Blue Ocean: open, uncontested, and filled with new demand you create yourself.
This framework comes from the bestselling book Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne and it’s one of the most transformative ideas in modern strategy.
What Is a Red Ocean?
A “red ocean” is a crowded marketplace where many organisations fight over the same audience.
Characteristics:
High competition
Similar offerings
Price-sensitive audiences
Limited differentiation
Slow or expensive growth
Everyone looks and sounds the same
Charity Example:
10 local food banks all asking for donations using the same message: “£10 feeds a family.”
Donors don’t see the difference. Competition gets tougher.
What Is a Blue Ocean?
A “blue ocean” is an uncontested market space where you create new demand instead of fighting for existing attention.
Characteristics:
No direct competition
Clear, differentiated value
New audiences, not just existing ones
Faster growth with less spend
Innovation-driven positioning
You define the category
Charity Example:
A food bank that creates a “Sponsor-a-Family Experience” with personal updates, stories, and impact videos. Something no other local organisation offers.
It’s not about doing what everyone else does slightly better.
It’s about doing something uniquely valuable that no one else is doing.
Red Ocean vs Blue Ocean (Quick Comparison)
Red Ocean | Blue Ocean |
|---|---|
Compete in existing space | Create a new space |
Beat the competition | Make the competition irrelevant |
Compete on price/value | Offer unique value |
Focus on existing demand | Generate new demand |
Incremental improvements | Step-change innovation |
Crowded messaging | Clear, distinct position |
The Four Actions Framework (Blue Ocean Tool)
To move from red to blue, answer four questions:
1. Eliminate
What does your organisation do that doesn’t add value and can be removed?
2. Reduce
What could you simplify or stop over-delivering on?
3. Raise
What could you dramatically increase to create more value?
4. Create
What completely new offering or experience could you introduce?
For charities, this often leads to breakthroughs like:
New donation experiences
Community-led programmes
Unique storytelling models
Impact transparency tools
Differentiated events or products
10-Minute Exercise: Find Your Blue Ocean
Answer these prompts:
What does every charity in our sector say?
What if we said the opposite?
What unique strength do we have that others don’t?
What do supporters wish existed but doesn’t?
How could we create value that no one else is offering?
You’ll uncover insights you can turn into immediate differentiation.
Why is this important to know?
Charities often compete in the same messaging pool:
“Donate now,” “Help us make a difference,” “£X provides Y.”
But supporters respond to clarity, uniqueness, and emotional resonance.
Blue Ocean Strategy helps you create your own lane. One that feels fresh, meaningful, and unmistakably yours.
Instead of fighting for attention, you earn it naturally.
Instead of competing, you stand apart.
Instead of blending in, your mission becomes unforgettable.
At VellumWorks, we believe knowledge should be free. That’s why this series will guide you, step by step, through everything from the basics to the most advanced strategies in marketing: no jargon, no gatekeeping, just education that empowers.
