Advertising and marketing professors, gurus and know-it-all social media commentators love arguing over the newest advertising phrases, like differentiation vs. distinctiveness. Some say “neglect about differentiation, now it’s all about distinctiveness.”
Give me a break. How may differentiation probably be dangerous for enterprise?
The 2 phrases are virtually synonymous. You say tomato I say tomahto. When you had to decide on between distinctiveness and differentiation, deal with being distinctive. Right here’s why:
In case your advertisements and your model property are distinctive, they’ll positively differentiate you from the competitors. As a result of most firms fail the distinctiveness take a look at. Miserably!
They create graphics that look remarkably just like every part else of their trade. Visible clichés and design conventions galore.
They generate Ai content material that sounds precisely the identical, and says nothing totally different than that of the rivals. Verbal clichés and empty guarantees galore.
So the advertising output is just not distinctive. Not totally different. Not noteworthy. Not noticeable.
So sure, you actually need to work at it, to supply advertisements, posts, papers and web sites which can be distinctly totally different. Nonetheless, I’ll agree that there’s such a factor as “too totally different.”
After we’re doing naming or model id design tasks, we purpose for what Jonah Berger calls “optimally distinctive.”
In his ebook Invisible Affect Berger says, “The artistic problem is to combine similarity, with distinction. New with previous. Novel with acquainted. That’s the way you fulfill the human want all of us need to be considerably distinctive.”
Individuals, specifically, are wired for individuality. We like to be totally different AND distinctive – to some extent.
So we flock to Starbucks like a bunch of caffeine-addicted lemmings, then we order a drink that’s decidedly distinctive…
Double half-caf mocha with oatmilk, 2 pumps of maple-pecan flavoring, gentle whip and a caramel drizzle. Or no matter.
When engaged on packaging tasks it’s essential to be totally different sufficient to be distinctive in your class, however not too totally different. And positively not complicated.
I’m very aware of a scrumptious, specialty meals product that’s packaged like one thing else totally. It’s a meals product in a cosmetics bundle.
That’s too totally different. Too complicated. That’s a packaging mis-fire, for positive.
Differentiation vs Distinctiveness in promoting: Generally promoting tries too laborious on each fronts.
There’s a brand new industrial working proper now for Jaguar that’s been producing all types of hullabaloo in on-line advertising circles.
The spot definitely qualifies as being visually distinctive. It even says, “copy nothing.” It’s manner totally different than any automobile industrial you’ve ever seen. So sure, it’s totally different, however it’s not relevantly totally different.
Most advertising people agree it’s totally different only for the sake of being totally different, on the expense of any significant, brand-worthy thought.
On a smaller scale, that form of artistic wrapping paper is in every single place… In an try and be “distinctive” individuals add particular results added to boring inventory pictures. Animated gifs. Goofy emojis. Stylish TikTok ways.
It’s all lipstick on a pig.
You must begin with a differentiating thought, then add the distinctiveness within the execution stage. Make the muse basically totally different, then execute the concept in distinctive new methods.
And most of all, maintain doing it constantly. Distinctiveness vs Differentiation is just not even price speaking about in case you don’t have consistency.
So don’t get too hung up on the controversy between differentiation vs. distinctiveness in advertising. Do each!
Make your graphics visually distinctive. Do advertisements which can be totally different, however related. Discover messages that set you aside, with out scaring off enormous segments of the market.
“Refreshingly totally different” is a pleasant manner to consider it. Isn’t that simply one other option to say “optimally distinctive.”
If you need your advertising efforts to be extra totally different, or extra distinctive contact me right here. We are able to do each!