Sometimes it’s better to blend in than stand out

Standing out is a mantra among advertisers and marketers. And with all the clutter in the marketplace it’s easy to understand why. Consumers are bombarded with way more advertising messages than they can process. They’re everywhere, from TV and radio to the Internet, to outdoor advertising. And they’re coming from more brands than ever before.

In this atmosphere, differentiation is absolutely essential to any brand’s survival. But that doesn’t mean your ad has to be crazy or clever to be effective. Those approaches can work. But it can be a double-edged sword. The more your ad stands out from its environment, the easier it is for people to filter it out. They know immediately, “That’s an ad, so I can pass over it.”