My Rant on Uniqueness
Here we go. How often does a consultant come in and force you to sit down and answer the infamous question “so what makes you unique?”
Oh, how I get tired of this unique or how are you different discussion.
If you have been there, you have seen these conversations go round and round dancing on the head of a pin. Invariably you land on one meaningless thing (to the majority of the world if not the majority of your own employees) or you have a laundry list that the consultant writes on a board and says “okay. Great day. You need to figure out which of these is most important to you.” (gee. thanks. what makes you think we can resolve that 48 hours from now if we cannot now?).
I believe distinctness is the key. Am I suggesting avoiding true product or service differentiation? Heck no. Go for it. I am simply arguing that it is next to impossible in today’s environment to have one. Ok. A sustainable one. I believe the cellular category right now has been doing a pretty good job of highlighting “unique” features (and sometimes benefits). But most of them are short term and not sustainable (and they have lots of money to make short term look big).
In service categories sustainable “uniqueness” is…well…pretty much impossible. Unique is very subjective here. Thinking customer first or “we care” is certainly not unique nor different. That characteristic may represent something the company cares a lot about but most companies to one degree or another feature that characteristic.
In the end we are often talking about small degrees of separation which makes it difficult to discern the difference to the majority. And the amount of energy we expend trying to justify and explain that difference isn’t worth the return on that investment (because that small degree of separation is lost to a competitor responder or thru consumer confusion on internet).
Now. What is sustainable? Character and personality. That is certainly distinct. Could it end up looking close to someone else? Maybe (but I would argue 90 percent of the time the other guy will blink and do something that will make people question their character). Brand personality/character differentiation topic is another writing of mine. This one is just a rant on uniqueness.
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here an insight, there an insight, where an insight?
February 9, 2012 - 7:22 am
Tags: actions today make who i am tomorrow, affecting people’s conflict behavior, aligning generational attitude and technology and consumer trends, broadcast, building character, business, Business Thoughts, change begins in the head, change forces prioritizing, change takes remarkable effort, character, communication, conflict and people, content dissemination trends, conversations, creating the next generation of thinkers, creating the next generation of thinkers using the web, crowd clout, crowds providing unsolicited feedback, curiosity is the enemy of ignorance, decision making, developing cross cultural skills, developing minds of next generation of thinkers, developing social and emotional competencies, discovery, dreaming is not just for kids, education to enlighten, encouraging curiosity, encouraging understanding of choices, enlightened conflict, exploration not ROI, facebook, failure of imagination, finding what is possible from impossible, finding your way is tough, freedom of choice, generation of measurement, generational ideation, generations, global collaboration, global respect, Hubble, ignorance, ignorance is the enemy, imagination, influencers are still influencers, influencing purchases, insights, insights are about truth, insights don't exploit, it has become uncool to do simple things in business, leadership, learning, lessons, life, life is a winding road, life lessons, making the simple complicated, marketing, maslow and marketing, maslow needs, measuring exclusion from primary education, measuring generational attitudes, measuring generational behavior, measuring global education, meeting the challenges of concentration, more honest online, most people cannot recognize simple solutions, most things in life are not black or white, mtv europe awards, NASA, NASA budget shrinking, net enabled education, no one believes in simplicity anymore, online friends, only few find the way, organizations, predictions, project global generation, pursuing the way, quality versus quantity online, quotes, rare to make complicated simple, research, respect, respect for individual choice, responsibility, ROI versus imagination, self actualization, short term concentration capabilities, simplicity has gone the way of the dodo, simplicity takes remarkable effort, six impossible things before breakfast, social media, strategy, strength of character to make change, strip away the undoable and identify the doable, Stuff I Like, success of ROI, telling the truth, that i will be tomorrow, there are a lot of insights, thinking, thinking impossible things, thinking is good, this i am today, to slay a dragon you need to believe in dragons, trendwatching, truth, truth in marketing, truth should be simple, Twitter, twitter triumph of humanity, use your imagination, web based global education
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So. Every once in awhile in the ad/marketing business we talk about “what’s the insight that will help us create the big idea?” Ok. Not every once in awhile. Actually ad nausea. So often your head hurts. In fact it may be the reason why people in the industry drink as often as they do. [...]
friends, feedback, influencing & a new economy
February 7, 2012 - 8:37 am
Tags: a generation of concerned citizens, a net education platform, actions today make who i am tomorrow, affecting people’s conflict behavior, aligning generational attitude and technology and consumer trends, broadcast, building character, business, Business Thoughts, careful tweeting, change begins in the head, change takes remarkable effort, character, children and critical thinking, children out of school, children’s education, communication, community individualism, conflict and people, content dissemination trends, conversations, creating innovation attitude in children, creating the next generation of thinkers, creating the next generation of thinkers using the web, crowd clout, crowds providing unsolicited feedback, curiosity is the enemy of ignorance, decision making, developing cross cultural skills, developing minds of next generation of thinkers, developing social and emotional competencies, educating using the net, education to enlighten, effective teaching globally, encouraging curiosity, encouraging understanding of choices, enlightened conflict, facebook, freedom of choice, generation after millennials, generational ideation, generations, global collaboration, Global generation, global generation sociological platform, global respect, ignorance, ignorance is the enemy, influencers are still influencers, influencing purchases, leadership, learning, lessons, life, life lessons, marketing, mass mingling impact on Global Generation, measuring exclusion from primary education, measuring generational attitudes, measuring generational behavior, measuring global education, media, meeting the challenges of concentration, mobile technology impacting education, more honest online, mtv europe awards, net enabled education, new economic model, nietzsche, online friends, online has quality communication, peace on facebook, pop up schools, predictions, project global generation, quality versus quantity online, redefining children’s education with a global initiative, research, respect, respect for individual choice, responsibility, short term concentration capabilities, social media, strategy, strength of character to make change, Stuff I Like, that i will be tomorrow, the economist e-communication and society, the f-factor, this i am today, trendwatching, truth, Twitter, twitter triumph of humanity, using cell technology for education, web based global education
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So. My thoughts on this topic were inspired by a trendwatching’s briefing called “The F-Factor.” Their briefing (another excellent one by the way) discusses focuses how the impact of influencers’ on purchasing has increased because of the web (and the dynamics associated with the web). By the way. Trendwatching has another excellent briefing called Crowd [...]
survival
February 6, 2012 - 8:29 am
Tags: a full life, actions today make who i am tomorrow, architects of fate, be who you are, business, change begins in the head, change forces prioritizing, change takes remarkable effort, changing objectives to make change, character, choices, choices leading to full life, choices we make or do not make, communication, creation means destroying something, decision making, destroying the personal baggage you carry, every one is an architect of life, every one plays a role in fate, fear, fear of choices, gain some new identity aspects, generations, getting a new start means destroying some old things, good people, hope, identifying who you are, inaction, intentions, just this once, lacking hope, learning, lessons, letting go is difficult, letting go is not simple, lies, life, life lessons, making changes personally, making choices, managing perceptions, motivated by a desire to achieve, ordinary people don’t think they are remarkable, organizations, personal creative destruction, quotations, quotes, relationships, resiliency, resiliency and character, respect, responsibility, see your own reality, self truth, smallest actions contribute, strategy, strength of character to make change, Stuff I Like, that i will be tomorrow, there is no formula for good choices, this i am today, trust, truth, trying to preserve will lead to stagnation, words
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“it is not the strongest of the species that survive, not the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” – Charles Darwin I love this quote. Mostly because those with ‘brawn’ scoff at those with ‘brains’, and vice versa, when survival (and that doesn’t have to mean life & death but rather success [...]
let the din of battle begin
February 5, 2012 - 8:19 am
Tags: actions today make who i am tomorrow, architects of fate, awaiting glory in silence, being in the battle, brady and stillness, character, competitiveness, flat wave brain stillness, gathering adrenaline but still, imaging the brain for the moment before the moment, leadership, let the din of battle begin, maybe it is me moment, more aware of yourself, pooh and Brady, quotations, quotes, resetting the brain, respect, responsibility, stillness in leadership, Stuff I Like, super bowl stillness, that i will be tomorrow, the moment before the moment, there was a moment just before, this i am today, thriving in the moment, tom brady, truth
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“We await glory in silence, oh, let the din of battle begin” – A midshipman on Collingwood’s flagship wrote this in his diary as his ship sailed into battle at Trafalgar Tom Brady (yup … this is about him – in honor of the super bowl – and I am going to use this quote). [...]
never interrupt the enemy
January 31, 2012 - 8:10 am
Tags: action and consequences, actions today make who i am tomorrow, affecting organization thru actions, aiming high, architects of fate, art of staying, brand, builders versus renovators, business, business lessons, Business Thoughts, change begins in the head, change forces prioritizing, change takes remarkable effort, character, communication, company of adventurers, creating positive touchpoints, decision making, depth of character to face everyday life, difficult lessons, dynamic beyond our own purposes, easier to recognize when you don’t suck, events are meant to be commanded not feared, every one is an architect of life, finding your way is tough, going with your gut, greatest danger is aiming too low, leaders and character, leadership, learning, lessons, let someone suck as long as they want, life, life is a winding road, life lessons, managing perceptions, michelanglo, most things in life are not black or white, napoleon and business, never interrupt the enemy, oblivious to sucking, one foot in history one foot in future, only few find the way, patty griffin, pursuing the way, quotations, quotes, reach for the stars, respect, responsibility, safer to stay then go, seek out events without fear, smallest actions contribute, stay or go, stop on a high note, stop when you suck, strategy, strength of character to make change, stressful decisions, Stuff I Like, suckedness, sucking is like quicksand, that i will be tomorrow, thinking too much, this i am today, thrive on dreams and possibilities, transformational people, trapped by fear, truth, what do you do when you get what you want, words
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“Never interrupt the enemy when he is making a mistake.” – Napoleon Bonaparte This is a follow up to yesterday’s “when you start to suck, stop.” Why? Well. Because that one was focused on your suckedness and this is focused on someone else’s suckedness. Simplistically. If your enemy is starting to suck … don’t interrupt. [...]
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January 30, 2012 - 8:51 am
Tags: action and consequences, actions today make who i am tomorrow, affecting organization thru actions, aiming high, architects of fate, art of staying, brand, builders versus renovators, business, business lessons, Business Thoughts, change begins in the head, change forces prioritizing, change takes remarkable effort, character, communication, company of adventurers, creating positive touchpoints, decision making, depth of character to face everyday life, difficult lessons, dynamic beyond our own purposes, easier to recognize when you don't suck, events are meant to be commanded not feared, every one is an architect of life, finding your way is tough, going with your gut, greatest danger is aiming too low, leaders and character, leadership, learning, lessons, life, life is a winding road, life lessons, managing perceptions, michelanglo, most things in life are not black or white, oblivious to sucking, one foot in history one foot in future, only few find the way, patty griffin, pursuing the way, quotations, quotes, reach for the stars, respect, responsibility, safer to stay then go, seek out events without fear, smallest actions contribute, stay or go, stop on a high note, stop when you suck, strategy, strength of character to make change, stressful decisions, Stuff I Like, suckedness, sucking is like quicksand, that i will be tomorrow, thinking too much, this i am today, thrive on dreams and possibilities, transformational people, trapped by fear, truth, what do you do when you get what you want, words
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“when you start to suck, stop” – Kristen Hersh So. This is so explanatory it needs no explanation. However. What I would suggest to everyone is that, in general, people don’t stop when they start to suck. And they don’t for one of two reasons: They are oblivious to their sucking. They recognize their suckedness [...]
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January 29, 2012 - 7:25 am
Tags: a business consultant, account management in ad agencies, action and consequences, advertising, affecting organization thru actions, agency, alignment, architects of fate, be still in midst of activity, brand, brand ambassadors, builders versus renovators, building a culture, business, Business Thoughts, character, chemistry, client, client services, communication, company of adventurers, corporate values, creating positive touchpoints, decision making, depth of character to face everyday life, dynamic beyond our own purposes, employees, employees have ability to create impressions, events are meant to be commanded not feared, every one is an architect of life, fairness, fun, leaders and character, leaders are still and active, leaders have strength of character, leadership, learning, lessons, life, life lessons, managing people to be successful in life and business, managing perceptions, managing transitional moments, marketing, one foot in history one foot in future, organizations, partner, partnership, quotations, quotes, relationships, respect, responsibility, restless consistency, seek out events without fear, smallest actions contribute, strategy, Stuff I Like, transformational people, truth, unique person in an ad agency, vibrantly alive in repose, what we are seeking explanations, words
Posted in Business Thoughts, Rants and Observations, Stuff I Like | 1 comment
Well. Maybe its because I get to talk with a lot of teen/20somethings or maybe its because all my friends are cynical bastards … but I seem to defend the advertising business a lot. And maybe because of that I thought I should take a moment and share some truths. Because the business (for the [...]
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January 27, 2012 - 8:03 am
Tags: addictive songs, amazing songwriter, architects of fate, articulation skills, attitudes, be who you are, books about musicians, boundlessness of friendship, brand, branding, business, Business Thoughts, character, choices we make or do not make, cognitive thinking, communication, creation means destroying something, creative innovators, destroying the personal baggage you carry, embellishment, every one is an architect of life, every one plays a role in fate, fear, fear of choices, gain some new identity aspects, getting a new start means destroying some old things, good books, good people, hope, identifying who you are, ignore at your own peril, inaction, influence of internet, influencing thinking, intentions, just this once, kristen hersh, lacking hope, leadership, learning, lessons, lies, life, life lessons, managing perceptions, motivated by a desire to achieve, music, organizations, personal creative destruction, quotations, quotes, rat girl, real ramona, relationships, resiliency and character, respect, responsibility, role of internet, see your own reality, self truth, serious life decluttering, slippery slope, slippery slope of despair, slippery surface of irrelevant brilliance, smallest actions contribute, strategy, Stuff I Like, the next generation of thinkers, there is no formula for good choices, throwing muses, tonya donnelly, trust, truth, trying to preserve will lead to stagnation, tweens, words, young influencing everyone, young people are smarter than you think, youth can surprise us
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So. I wrote about Rat Girl (Kristen Hersh) awhile back … and have been meaning to come back to the book and some quotable/comment-able thoughts from Kristen and her book. Let me say this upfront. Rarely have I found so many quotable thoughts from one book. Anyway. There is no particular order for these thoughts [...]
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January 26, 2012 - 8:14 am
Tags: architects of fate, be who you are, being distinct, boundlessness of friendship, brand, branding, business, Business Thoughts, character, choices we make or do not make, communication, creation means destroying something, destroying the personal baggage you carry, doubt, ee cummings, embellishment, every one is an architect of life, every one plays a role in fate, fear, fear of choices, fight the hardest battle to be yourself, gain some new identity aspects, getting a new start means destroying some old things, good people, hope, identifying who you are, inaction, intentions, just this once, lacking hope, leadership, learning, lessons, lies, life, life lessons, managing perceptions, motivated by a desire to achieve, organizations, personal creative destruction, quotations, quotes, reason for being, relationships, resiliency and character, respect, responsibility, see your own reality, self truth, serious life decluttering, slippery slope, slippery slope of despair, slippery surface of irrelevant brilliance, smallest actions contribute, stand for something within yourself, strategy, Stuff I Like, there is no formula for good choices, trust, truth, trying to preserve will lead to stagnation, words
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“To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best day and night to make you like everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight and never stop fighting.” – ee cummings Just when I think the battle to be yourself ends when you have gained [...]
hard choices
January 25, 2012 - 8:55 am
Tags: actions today make who i am tomorrow, astonish people, being soft in business, change begins in the head, change forces prioritizing, change takes remarkable effort, changed behavior, changing objectives to make change, character, communication, decision making, doing the right thing, doing the right thing is hard, enlightened conflict, generations changing behavior, hard choices, hard decisions, knowing what is right is not enough, kodak, leadership, learning, letting go is difficult, letting go is not simple, life, life lessons, making changes personally, making the hard choice, marketing, moral fiber, ordinary people don’t think they are remarkable, quotations, quotes, relationships, resiliency, respect, responsibility, right is right, soft choices, strength of character to make change, that i will be tomorrow, this i am today, truth, words
Posted in Business Thoughts, Rants and Observations | No comments
Ok. Let’s talk a minute about Kodak. And the fact that their demise had nothing to do with lack of foresight or inability to innovate (because they actually invented the digital camera). Kodak is about leadership, or the lack thereof, and people and decisions (or the lack thereof). When an iconic company and brand like [...]
