The Pitch: Don't be the best, be the only one who does it

By DAVID MacGREGOR

I've had one of those 'What's it all about?' epiphanies. In my work in advertising, design and IT as a brand consultant I have come to realise the entire point of marketing is to: ELIMINATE AMBIGUITY.

All branding-related activity revolves around this idea.

Everything.

Start with a clear expression of what the brand's big idea is.

Unless you stand for something, you will be interchangeable.

Don't confuse this with a business objective. The idea of your brand should resonate emotionally with your target market - not your board. It will embrace not only what you do, but also how you do it.

Just as Volvo has long represented safety, delivered reliably and with iconoclastic style, your product and service design should be fused with your brand idea.

Too many ad campaigns could easily come from any brand in the category.

Make your ads your own. Integrate them with the design language of the product. Express the big idea of your company or brand.

Defy the conventions of the category. Be yourself.

There should be no doubt which brand is doing the talking. Don't meekly follow the leader. Tell people what you want them to do - and communicate without ambiguity.

Ask customers if they enjoyed their coffee. You'll learn whether your customers are happy. You will also have the opportunity to ask: "Can I get you another?"

"Would you like fries with that?" has probably earned McDonald's enough profit to buy the South Island, with the North thrown in like a Happy Meal toy.

Be clear with the customer about your intention to serve. We are confronted with vast numbers of consumption choices at every turn. Sounds strange, but who in their right mind wants more choices?

We want more guidance.

Creating the Family Health Diary infomercial concept I found that people were confounded by the number of choices at the pharmacy or supermarket.

In a cluttered category, Family Health Diary has come to be the leader by providing advertisers with an unambiguous default template for marketing health.

My theory applies to even the lowest level of your marketing activity.

The design of your instructions should be clear. Buy a flat pack desk from Freedom and you should assemble it first time.

Every part should fall into place. Nothing left over but pride and satisfaction - and a positive experience of the brand. Ignoring details like this causes love-hate relationships. Avoid love-hate - it's ambiguous.

When it comes to choosing your brand there should be no alternative.

Like Gerry Garcia of The Grateful Dead said: "Don't be the best at what you do. Be the only one who does it."

Is that clear?

* David MacGregor is a brand consultant, mac@davidmacgregor.com. He has sold his stake in Family Health Diary.

* The Pitch is a forum for those working in advertising, marketing, public relations and communications. We welcome lively and topical 500-word contributions.
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