Ditch your trends, ditch your algorithms, ditch your endless doomscrolling to find the right vibe to imitate, and pull from within. It’ll be worth it.
How did we get here? Like, how did we really get here? How did we get to a point where the majority of western culture is on the path to a singular monoculture? Where everything looks, feels, and sounds exactly the same – only to then all change just a couple months later? Of course, we know the answer: trends.
Trends aren’t exactly a new phenomenon. The powdered wigs of the 18th century or the s-bend corsets of the 20th century are just the tip of the everchanging iceberg. The difference now is the speed and rate in which new trends come into our lives and then seemingly disappear without a trace.
So (without getting too worked up about our need to reevaluate society’s consumption levels) what does this mean for you and your brand? How can you break free from the shackles of replication and create something that truly feels different and stands out in a crowded marketplace? Here are a few phrases to remember.
Your Business Is Unique. And if It Isn’t, You’re Not Ready.
You should be able to, let’s say within five minutes, be able to pull what your business’s unique selling proposition is. What does your business bring to the table that none of your competitors do?
If you can’t pinpoint something specific, you may need to spend some time repositioning yourself. This will not only give you an edge in your marketplace, but will form the strongest foundation possible to create a legitimately unique brand.
Inspiration, Not Imitation.
We all need a little bit of inspiration every now and then. Something to spark an idea and get us moving. But finding the line between inspiration and imitation is crucial in building something different.
From a branding perspective, instead of seeing a logo and saying “I like how these two letters work well together”, dig just that little bit deeper and ask yourself why that works. Does it communicate who they are clearly? Does it elevate their brand into a more luxury space? Spending more time asking why will allow you evoke the same responses in your audience without having to copy someone else tit for tat.
Pull From the Unlikeliest of Places.
Put the phone down. There’s inspiration elsewhere. Being able to pull from the world around you not only gives you a larger pool of ideas to work from, but is downright more rewarding. Here’s a handful of ways our team have done this in the last few months:
– Using the gradient of a sunset to create two contrasting colours for a new brand’s colour palette
– Equating a buyers agent to Robin Hood to help them craft a unique brand voice
– Taking the curves from a modernist architecture building and applying it’s curved edges to imagery
The list does go on, but you don’t have all day.
So what is the real power of ditching trends? Honestly, it allows you to trust yourself, your gut instincts, and have a bit more fun with the process. Plus less screentime.