Standing out and standing for.

There’s a bit of an obsession with standing out these days. We see it in people and we see it in brands. Everyone wants to be seen to be different. Or is it that we have to be different to be seen?

We deal with the concept of differentiation on a daily basis. Businesses are determined to find their point of difference. But very rarely do we come across a product or service that is totally unique and could own a position in the market simply by being first. We’ve come to rely on the modern-day brand adage (or excuse) that distinctiveness is what really counts and that’s where you can gain share of mind and competitive advantage. Distinctiveness is what will help you stand out from the crowd.

This is obviously true, but we need to be careful not become so preoccupied with standing out that we forget what for. It can’t be a licence for ‘anything goes’ because if we take the principle to its logical conclusion we end up with brands and advertising that might look fabulous, might even be memorable, might scoop all the creative awards but do they work? And what we mean by that is: do they build the right meaning (that can be strengthened with consistent efforts over time) in the minds of consumers that makes them want to buy our brand over others?

We’ve found, when we’re pitching, that clients are being told regularly by agencies that ‘they’ll do work that will make them (or their brand) famous’. We assume that they are also being told that the work will make them ‘stand out’. But our challenge is always the same: what is it that you want to be famous for? Work that out first and then put all efforts – for the long-term – into that. And we think that comes from thinking about what it is you want to stand for.

The desire to ‘be different’ has become a distraction to ‘do different’ by many in our industry. Marketers are often compelled towards change and trying something new when it’s been well proven that the best way to build brands and achieve long-lasting success is through repetition and consistency - and playing the long game. Chop and change at your peril.

We always come back to Hamilton – and why not, because who doesn’t love that show?

“If you stand for nothing, what’ll you fall for?”

This is great advice for brands and those looking after them. It’s an indictment of where we’ve got to that so often brands fall for anything and reinvent their strategies. And it might be one of the reasons (or one of the ironies) that we remain stuck in an age of forgettable advertising in the UK. More time spent defining what it is you stand for will be time and money well spent. It will galvanise your long-term efforts and provide something for everyone to get behind. We call it a positioning and, for us, it is the most important and powerful thing a brand has. And so it makes sense to focus as much energy as you can on supporting it.

We know we’re not the first to say this. And we know just by saying it alone does not make us different or stand out. But it is what we stand for. And you know what, we stand by it too.

If you think all this stands to reason and would like to get our thoughts on how we could help you define what it is you ‘stand for’ so you can ‘stand out’, then get in touch at hello@l-e-a-p.com.