I just discovered John Moore’s blog, Brand Autopsy, and appreciate his recommendation of a new book by Harvard Business School professor Youngme Moon, entitled Different: Escaping the Competitive Herd. The video that explains the book is engaging and thought-provoking, so I’ve included it on the article page for this post.
I haven’t had a chance to read Moon’s book yet. If you have, what did you think about it?
In an age of fast followers, how long do you believe a brand can truly remain different? Who does this well today?
John Ellett is CEO of nFusion Group, LLC, a digitally-focused marketing agency based in Austin, TX. He has a passion for encouraging and supporting marketing leaders who have the courage to be change agents in their organizations.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
At the end of the last century — yes, way back then — I remember constantly hearing (and reading) that copy was dead in advertising; that it was all about the visual. Then along came blogs and other forms of social media.
Anyone else notice that the referenced video is all about words supported by visuals?
And yet, YouTube’s success — all about the visual — allowed it to be sold for $1.65b just 18 months after start up.
Copy or visuals??? Or maybe it’s just relevance.
I’ve not read Moon’s book, so I have no idea what thoughts are presented; but what I know is that consumers seek currencies, and “different” doesn’t always equate to a currency (a common mistake marketing creatives make).
On the other hand, relevance does.
Also, “different” tends to align itself with a target driven process (less consumer friendly), whereas relevance is more value driven (more consumer friendly).
For what it’s worth, I’ve been playing around with the following formula… Currency = value driven gateway (i.e. point of interaction).
Joe, thanks for your comment. I believe consumers are looking for brands that are relevant, compelling and distinctive. I agree that different without relevance in not meaningful. Yet relevance without distinctiveness is “me too”.
Appreciate your response John, and your interesting (and perhaps… distinctive) blog.
Regarding the relevance/distinctiveness/me too matter, my first thought is that for today’s successful business, relevance and distinctiveness are pretty much inextricably intertwined. And of course, “compelling” is the deal maker.
To be honest, in recent times I’ve not come across much consumption influenced by “different.” I have though, heard many consumers brush of a claim of “different” as yet one more “me too.”