Daring to be different in the age of identikit

Last month, soda brand Poppi bought a last-minute ad at the Super Bowl. Now, obviously this was not a completely crazy move for a brand looking to boost its audience awareness, barring the astronomical costs, but, it was an unusual decision for a relatively small brand with plenty of online and Gen Z stardom.

Could its motivation have come from the overabundance of lookalike brands within this sub sector of the beverage category – take Olipop for example, even the names are similar.

Standing out within a category where everyone follows the same design cues is challenging, with some arguing it is a symptom of a lack of individuality and originality when it comes to brand visual identity.

And it doesn’t stop there, we also see it in personal identity. Look at the rise of influencers, and regular people, aiming for what we’re now calling ‘TikTok face’. An updated version of Instagram face, part of the continuous trend cycle that these platforms churn out toward algorithmic sameness. Emerging from the need to constantly categorise appearance, whether you’re high or low visual weight, this ‘core’ or that ‘girl’ it’s all about conforming and allocating yourself to a box. The result is a flattening of identity and stripped individuality.

It’s starting to feel like no one knows how to be different anymore amid a constant stream of trends, voices and brand messaging that too often resemble one another.

But victim to the same pressures as teenagers on social media. They can break out of the maelstrom.

Stick to your guns

If we hark back to the drinks category, Liquid Death remains a resolute stand out. As a brand it has never been one to follow the crowd. At first glance, who would even know it’s a water brand?

While brands don’t chase confusion, Liquid Death’s distinctive visual identity sets it apart. It is constantly evolving, from auctioning ad space on its boxes in a recent eBay stunt to launching its Death Dust electrolyte mix, enabling it to reach new audiences while retaining its regular customers. It understands, and remains true, to who it is as a brand.

Personality is key

Brand personality and authority in a category builds brand recognition – far beyond anything based on a quick glance online, or a speedy scan of a shop shelf. This can come through in two different forms.

Firstly, employee generated content can help expand and strengthen brand identity (filling in behind the scenes gaps). And with 70% of consumers trusting the recommendations of their peers and networks on social media they are a great way to build these connections.

Secondly, business and brand leaders need to be visible. No matter what they do within the company, there’s another part of the job that’s about being the public face and voice. But as we’ve seen with the Kellogg’s CEO’s Marie Antoinette moment, that element needs to be approached with care.

Ella O’Neill is account executive at Pumpkin PR, where this post was originally published. Pumpkin PR is a B2B PR agency for advertising, media, creative and digital agencies.