Distinct But Not Different

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Last week, I gave a keynote speech in Reykjavík for the ÍMARK conference.

I spoke about standing out and why marketers are obsessed with differentiation.

It all starts with the Von Restorff effect.

Distinct images stick in our minds 👇

Not only are distinct things 30x¹ more memorable, they bend our perception.

That's why the heavy metal band Party Cannon stands out in this poster.

But there's an important caveat.

Party Cannon doesn't stand out because of the colourful logo.

They stand out because they're distinct from their competition.

They're not simply trying to be whacky; they're purposefully distinct.

Football's gambling problem

Yet, most clubs sponsoring football teams get this all wrong.

Around 40% of shirt sponsors are gambling firms.

These brands get less recall because they're not distinct.

Although they're reaching their target audience, they're paying the price.

The firms would be better off advertising in a radically different industry.

Like Red Bull and F1.

Because when you stand out compared to your peers, you get results.

Three examples

Adding a red stamp to a letter helps it stand out from other mail.

For Aussie tax collectors, this saved them from issuing $4m in late payment fees.

Copenhagen had a litter problem. To help, they made their bins distinct.

These eye-catching bins resulted in 45% less littering.

Heineken discovered something similar.

They tested 11 slogans on their target market.

Most un-distinct slogans like "The others can't compete" were forgotten fast.

But one distinct slogan stood out.

Marketers should be obsessed with differentiation.

It's vital for standing out.

But unlike the gambling firms, we should learn that a fancy design isn't enough.

To be genuinely distinct, go where your competitors aren't.

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Cheers Phill!

P.S. This is taken from a small section of a keynote speech I delivered last week.

Want me as a speaker at your next event? Email me (I'll give you mates' rates).