I want to talk about a phenomenon that we are increasingly finding ourselves in- blandism.
Blandism is a term coined initially in a Bloomberg article that describes a wave of new startups that are "slavishly following an identikit formula of business model, look and feel, and tone of voice".
Army's of new almost identical brands are attempting to disrupt homogeneous categories and, instead of just competing against the existing players, are creating extra competition against themselves.
It is unlikely that this is a deliberate action, or anyone is wiretapping anyone's phones, but more a case of everyone taking inspiration from the same pool of brands (Oatley, innocent, Huel, Dollar Shave Club) then attempting to replicate the success by imitating their blueprint.
Instead, businesses should create their own blueprint and playbook. Focus on their value exchange- what is the problem/pain point to solve and for whom, and then what is your DNA. For example, if you are a brand that brings joy and energy, you want this to come through in how you look and how you act, even if (especially if) this means looking entirely different than everyone else.
These are some brands that I think are doing it well- all are brands launched overseas. Seeking inspiration from others is not a bad thing, you need to make sure you are not looking in the same places as everyone else, and not just copy and paste.
Go-To
Go-To, is an Australian skincare brand founded in 2014 with the mission to "make skincare as useful, simple, effective, trustworthy and fun, for as many people as possible".
Unlike the majority of the skincare market at the time, Go-To was created to debunk the science. Personality driven, the brand meets their consumers where they are at emotionally to deliver an honest, transparent brand experience, with humour and real-life experiences.
Poppi
You would never guess from looking at the brand, but Poppi is a functional prebiotic soda- made by combining fresh fruit juice with the prebiotic powerhouse apple cider vinegar.
Poppi decided to put the fun in fun(ctional) and create a brand that stood out from all other gut health drinks, largely presenting in brown glass bottles and talking about wellness. They understood that their customer was looking for a better-for-you drink but didn't want to lose the sense of 'treat' that came from drinking a more traditional soda. Poppi now firmly straddles the two camps and has developed a cult-like following listing Jennifer Lopez amongst one of it's die hard fans.
Unlike their competitors they would not be seen anywhere near a health or wellness convention instead would be found sampling at pool parties and beach side bars.
OffLimits
OffLimits is a cereal company made from organic, natural ingredients. However, unlike the traditional bland 'good for you cereal' brands, targeted at adults to have a nutritious start to the day, there is not an oat icon or yoga pose in sight.
For many people, cereal is more than a breakfast staple; instead, it's a straight out-of-the-box snack to be enjoyed throughout the day. It's bold, colourful and straight-talking tone, features relatable mascots with attitude, and mirrors how customers see themselves.
Their marketing has involved student activations, collaborating with street wear designers, even creating a real life art exhibition.
If you think you are falling into the trap of blandism and are struggling with how to bring your brand to life in a way to light in a way that is intrinsically different from everyone else, get in touch as I would love to chat with you.
Carly
p.s it's been a couple of weeks since I have shared an OMG you must listen to this Podcast, so here is a treat for your ears. It was an interview with James Clear, author of Atomic Habits on the Brene Brown 'Dare to Lead' podcast. In it, he talked about consistency over intensity, creating rituals that become habits and starting off small.
The interview was everything that I needed to hear.
As someone who preaches about the importance of consistency in building brands, someone who talks about creating systems and processes to build solid foundations, and who believes in rituals to bring people together but often forgets to apply in my own business, I got a bit of an 'oh shit' moment. I urge you to take a listen.
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Sprowt is a creative marketing studio that helps purpose-driven challenger brands that believe in the triple bottom line - people, planet and profit - stand out and scale.
We apply the tried and tested strategies of building memorable brands and then rip up the rule book to create disruptive brand and marketing strategies; growing the brands that matter into the household names of tomorrow.
