We recently pitched for a FTSE
100 retailer’s writing account and proposed a bold new tone of voice. We’re
talking lots of character, lashings of wit and plenty of quirk. It was a risky
pitch strategy. Yet we won.
Around the same time, a long-standing
client asked us to crank up their tone of voice on an important new product
brochure. So, do we have a trend here? Are clients finally embracing risk-taking?
Unique – but not too unique
What's life without a little risk? |
So
the temptation is always there to do the opposite of what branding is meant to
do: make something distinctive and maximise its appeal. And that’s the big
paradox. Everyone wants their brand to stand out. But, intuitively, most people
(and brand marketers are people too), don’t want to stand out too much. At some
level, we’re all afraid of doing something outstanding.