You’ll get no argument from anyone that today’s marketing and branding landscape is fundamentally different than the one that existed less than a decade ago. The idea that breakthrough branding can be created only through intrusive downstream messaging is as outdated as dial-up internet. People today have access to all the information they need for any purchase decision with a just few swipes on their smartphones. And what they’ll find on Google, Facebook, YouTube, Yelp, Angie’s List, etc., will trump anything you can say in an ad.
With marketers no longer having the kind of influence they enjoyed during the glory years of broadcast and print media, more and more are taking a deeper look into themselves to build their brand platform. And what they’re finding is that people want to buy from companies and organizations that champion something beyond the traditional boundaries of their products and services.
Look at what Red Bull has done. An energy drink that was unknown in the U.S. until 1997, it is today synonymous worldwide with extreme physical endeavors. Red Bull’s sponsorship of Felix Baumgartner’s astounding outer space jump to Earth, a record-setting Formula One racing team, and wild Flugtag events, are just a few examples of how its brand has aligned itself with aspirations far more compelling than simply helping you feel more energetic. The tag “Red Bull gives you wings” rings true in everything associated with the company.
Amazon is the gold standard when it comes to making the online buying process as painless and hassle-free as possible. From day one, Amazon has been staggeringly successful in removing obstacles (high prices, shipping surcharges, lack of product information, difficult searches for specific merchandise) to online shopping. From its early days as an online bookstore to its current standing as the world’s largest e-tailer, Amazon’s single-minded crusade of helping you get what you want with minimal friction has been its brand cornerstone.
For the past 30 years, Nike has been the dominant sportswear name around the globe. However, in the past decade, no sportswear brand has grown as quickly as Under Armour. Its rapid rise has been due in large part to its focus on ways to help athletes stay cooler and drier—and thus able to perform better. Its revolutionary moisture-wicking sports apparel created a new market and forced Nike, Adidas, Reebok and other competing brands to play catch up. Under Armour showed that a t-shirt with purpose-driven materials could make an actual difference in an athlete’s performance.
The key to the previous stories is that each company did not shape its brand on established, obvious competitive points. Red Bull never claimed that it was better tasting, trendier, or came in more flavors, than other energy drinks. Amazon was not originally founded on offering more variety of products than other retailers. And Under Armour knew that comfort technology, outside of athletic footwear, was an area that was overlooked by the big boys.
Finding that unique way your brand stands for something beyond competition-defined parameters is instrumental to capturing the imagination (and dollars) of today’s consumers. Yes, it boils down to finding a unique value proposition—but today that needs to be something that transcends inconsequential points of differentiation. If you look long and hard enough at what you offer the world, you can probably find it. If not, then create one. Your future may depend on it.
To learn more about finding your brand’s unique value proposition, try out this exercise.