Dare To Be Different
What makes marketing campaigns better than others? I mean, everyone is active on social media, a lot of companies advertise on TV or the radio, but what is it that makes one stand out over another?
It doesn’t have to do with the amount of money spent or the clout of the company. It’s because the company knows who they are, they know how to express it and dare to be different. They have their own unique style.
Growing up as kids, everyone says to be yourself because if everyone was the same, the world would be a boring place, right? Marketing campaigns are the same. One of the best examples of “daring to be different” is Dove.
Go into any marketing class these days and you will learn about the Dove Real Beauty campaign, where Dove challenged society to accept what defined beauty. Beauty wasn’t only a supermodel in a fashion magazine or on a runway, but rather beauty came in all shapes and sizes. The campaign was a massive success and Dove followed it up years later with Real Beauty Sketches – another massive hit. Dove took a chance because they were confident in knowing who they were and they found a way to connect with their audience.
Another brand, which does a great job of knowing who they are, is Southwest Airlines. For being just an airline, Southwest has created an identity with a very strong following. They’ve taken their core value – good customer service – and have spread it through everything they do. I’m not even talking about just their marketing, but rather through the core of their business. Southwest Airlines was the first major airline to let passengers bring luggage for free once the industry norm was to charge. Want a good seat on the plane? Check-in first. Southwest Airlines knew they were going against the norm. They knew they were taking a chance, but they didn’t care. They knew what they stood for and wanted to give their customers a different experience – a better experience.
So what’s the point of referencing Dove and Southwest Airlines? You are probably thinking about how they have massive budgets and you can’t afford what to do what they have and the truth is – you’re wrong. Knowing who you are and sticking to it doesn’t cost anything. They create a mission statement which defines what the business stands for and they embed company values into everyone who works for them. They eat, sleep and breathe them.
Marketing isn’t always about who has the biggest budget, but rather who knows who they are and who can express it better than anyone. Dare to be different. Dare to take chances. Don’t think you have to do something one way because it’s how everyone else is doing it. Dove didn’t listen to everyone. Neither did Southwest Airlines. There are countless marketing examples out there you can learn from, but when you break them all down – they all know who they are.
“Be different, stand out, and work your butt off.” – Reba McEntire
