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Boring brands' syndrome: avoid sailing in a sea of sameness
Doing smart brand work is hard work and the reason why it’s hard to find! In a world overflowing with digital content, consumers demand more than just basic experiences—they expect standout interactions.
Many brands struggle to keep pace with these evolving expectations, often due to a lack of understanding of how deeply digital technology impacts consumer behavior. Instead of innovating, many marketers fall into the trap of copying trends, aiming to stay relevant but failing to distinguish themselves.
The Pitfalls of Trend-Chasing
Brands often mimic popular platforms and strategies, believing that if something is trending, it must be beneficial. However, adopting every new trend without considering its alignment with your brand’s core strategy can lead to a lack of originality. When every brand uses the same tactics—whether it’s SEO tricks or social media strategies—they risk blending into a sea of sameness. This not only dilutes their unique voice but also forces them to compete on price, further eroding differentiation.
Breaking Free from Copycat Marketing
To avoid becoming just another boring brand, focus on what makes your brand unique. Instead of following the crowd, revisit and refine your brand strategy to align with your distinct identity. Mitch Duckler’s book, The Indispensable Brand, offers insights into adapting traditional strategies to the modern digital landscape, helping brands stay relevant and distinct.
Building a Brand-Driven Culture
Employee engagement is crucial for brand success. Denise Lee Yohn’s Harvard Business Review article underscores the importance of employees embracing brand values. The MGM Grand example shows how deep employee engagement translates into financial success. When employees truly own the brand, their commitment goes beyond job duties to positively impact the brand’s overall success.
Key Strategies for Fostering Brand Ownership
- Clear Communication: Regularly convey brand values through onboarding, updates, and internal messaging to ensure employees understand and reflect them in their work.
- Behavioral Training: Implement engaging methods like gamification and role-playing to help employees internalize and practice brand-aligned behaviors.
- Recognition and Reward: Highlight and reward employees who exemplify brand values to reinforce desired behaviors and inspire others.
- Empowerment and Autonomy: Provide employees with the authority and tools to take ownership of their roles, fostering a deeper commitment to the brand’s success.
- Personal Connection: Encourage employees to connect personally with the brand, enhancing their investment and impact on brand reputation.
Creating a culture where employees feel like they own the brand involves clear communication, engaging training, recognition, empowerment, and fostering personal connections. When employees are genuinely invested, they become passionate brand ambassadors, driving both engagement and organizational success.
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Anil Nim
Anil Nim
Making him a trusted advisor for businesses that are leading the way, driving change, and shaking things up. He’s spent more than a decade each in top roles at major global communication firms and leading marketing teams in-house. His career includes stints at agencies like Vaishnavi Corporate Communications, Weber Shandwick, Genesis Burson Marsteller, and Edelman. On the client side, he’s held key positions such as Head of Marketing Communications at Invista for South Asia (formerly Dupont Textiles & Interiors), Associate Director of Brand, Marketing, and Communications at EY, and National Director of Communications at a top corporate law firm in India.
Anil has worked on mandates for large organisations, like helping MTV India grow into the leading youth music channel in the country, boosting sales for the Almond Board of California, managing reputational risks for GMR during the Delhi Airport privatization, and driving consumer preference and sales for LYCRA and Teflon brands in India. His experience spans a wide range of industries and brand challenges.
When he’s not immersed in work, Anil loves to travel to different corners of the world and has explored places like Spain, Russia, Hungary, and China. At home, he’s an avid reader, enjoys soaking up the sun with a good book, and finds gardening to be a great way to unwind and connect with nature.
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