The brain of today’s poor consumer is visually and verbally accosted almost every minute by thousands of brands competing for attention.
On the other side of the marketing coin is the plethora of me-too brands trying to create a connection with their customers in an environment where an 11 second Tik Tok is pushing the boundaries for shortened attention spans.
What’s a brand to do?
The magic pill for marketers seems to lie in the creation of distinctive brand assets (or brand codes).
The most distinctive brand assets as defined by the Ehrenberg-Bass Marketing Institute are ‘the nonbrand name elements that trigger the brand into the memory of category buyers’.
While your logo is your most obvious brand asset, the colour scheme, typography, icons, packaging, shapes, patterns, taglines, the use of characters and sonic mnemonics (Uber’s ‘Ding Dong’ ring any bells?) all have the power to capture the elusive attention of your target audience and help your brand rise above competitors.
Interestingly, research also suggests it is not necessarily the design of the logo that is important, but rather the sustained use of it. This applies to any brand code, whether it is colour palettes, typography, or logos.
Consistency is the cornerstone of a distinctive brand code. It is not a one-time effort but an ongoing commitment to maintaining uniformity across all brand touchpoints. From advertising and packaging to online presence and customer interactions, every aspect of a brand's communication should align with its established code. This consistency fosters trust and reliability among consumers, as they come to associate specific elements with the brand's values and offerings
Repetition + Consistency = Recognition.
Those brands that have distinct codes then have license to play with them. For example, in 2019, Mastercard famously dropped its brand name from its logo. The brand had the power to do this because of its “50 years of applying and reapplying codes across everything it does,” wrote Marketing Week columnist Mark Ritson. He advised brands to “apply their codes mercilessly to everything”.
McDonalds Golden Arches are now so well recognised globally they don’t even need to use the full logo in their advertising for people to still know who they are.
Virtually every woman in the first world gets excited when she sees a robin-egg blue box, knowing all too well it’s a Tiffany’s gift.
Netflix has turned a humble “ta-dum” sound into a distinctive brand asset, while KitKat has their competitors licked when it comes time to “have a break.”
A square shaped Toblerone? Mein Gott!
Imagine the backlash if Toblerone suddenly decided to ditch their signature triangle shape! Inspired by the silhouette of the Matterhorn, Theodor Tobler created the now famously shaped chocolate in 1908, and it has steadfastly remained true to its biggest brand asset.
Such is its power, even a seemingly major change to the outer wrapping, removing the Matterhorn Mountain peak due to Swiss law and replacing it with a ‘generic’ mountain, did nothing to rock Toblerone’s status as the iconic “Swiss” chocolate.
Distinctive brand assets & the AIDA marketing model
Distinctive brand assets align with what is known as the AIDA marketing model: Attention, Interest, Desire and Action.
Distinctive branding captures attention. Memorable elements of the brand pique their interest. As they begin to see more and more of those same elements, they start to form positive connections, increasing their desire for the product or brand. Finally, this desire, coupled with the memory structures that have been built motivate them to take action.
Distinctiveness vs Differentiation
There is a popular opinion that to be noticed in a crowded marketplace, your brand has to be different. But, as Mark Ritson argues, distinctiveness alone is not enough. “There’s a lot written about distinctiveness versus differentiation, most of it moronic. You can be greedy and have both,” he told ADMA’s world forum. “You need both.”
Picture yourself as an artist gearing up for a showcase at a renowned art gallery. You want your work to stand out, so you invest numerous hours crafting a piece that is undeniably different from the norm..
On exhibition day, your creation captivates visitors. It’s different, but amidst a sea of other distinctive and unique artworks, it fails to command the attention you envisioned. It becomes just another "different" piece in a gallery already brimming with diversity.
Let’s look at an alternate scenario. Instead of fixating solely on crafting something "different," you opt to develop a series of artworks unified by a recurring and distinctive element. Whether it's a specific colour palette, a recurring motif, or an unmistakably unique style, you make it a thread tying your creations together.
People are immediately drawn to your collection because the recurring elements are so distinctive.
Want another brand asset?
In a landscape full of “different” products or services, being distinctive – having that recurring, memorable element that’s unmistakably yours – can make your brand more memorable and recognisable than simply being “different.”
At Whippet, we hold the distinction of helping iconic retailers such as AusPost, Coles, Priceline and M&S create, build and reinforce brand assets across all channels.
So, let’s talk your shop.
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