Determined to be different

I always thought that the man who lived down the street was different. Old Bill liked to wear dresses and gum boots (at the same time) and existed on the edge of the community. He was called a number of things (kids can be cruel) but he was certainly one of a kind.

What's so great then about being different? For one thing it makes you stand out from the crowd. As Bill clearly demonstrated this isn't in itself always a good thing. If your brand strategy is to be different it has to be relevant. Are you different because you are better? The leaders in any market are those that push the boundaries, often by doing things differently.

Most of us would like to do things differently but are constrained by imaginary barriers. "The client won't go for it," or "We can't afford rock the boat." The companies and leaders that stand out are those with a strength of purpose and a belief in what they are doing. For an agency thinking differently and challenging convention can be risky in the short term but can pay off in the long run. There will be sacrifices and hard calls but clients will appreciate the integrity and conviction.

Being different also means constantly having to evolve. As your tactics become successful others will quickly follow. Backed by research and strategic thought and implemented effectively a different approach that challenges convention can have a huge impact. Some of the most successful companies of our time have 'thought outside the box' and capitalised on the platform doing things a bit differently created.

Being different requires continuous effort and a thick skin for when the detractors put their 2 cents in. It can however make your product/ company/ brand stand out from the crowd. Perhaps Old Bill never got it quite right but he was certainly a pioneer and he'd be happy to know that others were following his lead.