Don’t just stand out, stand tall, stand above and shine brighter than your competition.
We hear this kind of statement all the time, “Stand out from the crowd. Stand out, be different, be creative.” It can be heard from social circles to entertainment, even in marketing. Though, it is beneficial to be different, and memorable, not all instances of being different or memorable are good or necessarily better. There are many situations where standing out isn’t even safe! One could jump from a tall building to get to the bottom in a different way, but different doesn’t make it better.
What we should hear more often is “Stand taller. Show off your best qualities.” This is of course easier said than done. How does one market a widget, touting its merits and acclaiming its benefits in a way that doesn’t detract from the philosophy of the brand?