The greatest challenge that people in marketing and advertising face is to differentiate their brand vis-à-vis competition. Most product categories are getting inundated with brands – the result is that many of the categories are getting commoditised with very little difference between brands.

I will try and cover differentiation in detail in the near future. To start with, here is an article from Brand Strategy Insider and written by Derrick Daye that outlines 50 ways that you can differentiate your brand.

Here are the 50 according to Mr. Daye:

• Go slow in a world of speed.
• Use country of origin to your advantage.
• Behave differently.
• Look different.
• Be the underdog in a sector where everyone else wants to be top dog.
• Be truly and unapologetically shocking.
• Expand your appeal.
• (Re)Invent a category – and own it.
• Create a new category.
• Tell a story that defines you and is unique to you.
• Forge new ground in the spirit of your founder.
• Leverage your history to define tomorrow.
• Own an eternal idea.
• Change the possibilities.
• Make active plans to be where others aren’t (yet).
• Solve a global problem.
• Build groundswell.
• Redefine how people buy.
• Bring unprecedented optimism to a sector.
• Connect the previously unconnected.
• Rewrite the experience.
• Make what you sell feel even more personal.
• Link your brand to specific occasions.
• License to brand.
• Break away from conventional wisdom.
• Change the name.
• Personify.
• Create a new item.
• Reposition the category.
• Identify, identify, identify.
• Be the expert or specialist.
• Price with pride.
• Use Ingredient Brands.
• Highly target a market.
• Change the reach.
• Give unprecedented access.
• Share values.
• Stand for something your customers want to stand for.
• Give them something to unwrap.
• Engage the senses.
• Put a famous face to your famous brand.
• Redefine usage.
• Introduce simplicity and purity into people’s cluttered lives.
• Tap into the power of emotions.
• Control the accessibility.
• Focus on design and aesthetics.
• Convey status.
• Create a unique product purchase experience.
• Create an unusual theme or twist to your brand.
• Treat people differently than your competitors do.

You can read the complete article here.

Visual courtesy: https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexprevot/