There are two kinds of people in the world: those who follow the herd, and those who don't. The older I have gotten, the more convinced I am that the latter group are the bigger winners. I learned long ago in terms of investment that the ones who bought securities in bear markets picked up their investments at the lowest price and, if unloaded in bull markets, yielded the richest returns. I think a similar situation works in advertising.
In my newspaper days, the big accounts all seemed to follow a pattern as a whole. They bought radio and unloaded newsprint together. They added TV and dropped radio together. And so on. The odd balls who stayed out of the rat pack had a real chance to get noticed when a media was deserted.
And those who cut ads that looked alike...were lost. Who could spot the best one in a sea of lookalikes? The one that was truly different stood out.
Let's apply these lessons to our own advertising and promotion. Rule 1: Ignore the herd. Either stick to a consistent media buy pattern or go opposite. You'll have the best chance of standing out over the long run. Rule 2: Don't be a Look-Alike. Position yourself within your own consistent branding strategy. Ignore fads and trends. What is "must-do" today may be old news tomorrow. In the meantime, your consistent look and feel will have the greatest likelihood to be remembered. And Rule 3: Be yourself. Your business was established on your good reputation. Let your advertising reflect that and nothing else.
March proudly to your own drum!
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