What does science say about differentiation?
Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2024 9:17 am
For some time now, all that has been talked about in marketing and branding is differentiation: that for a brand to succeed, it must be different; that differentiation is the essential attribute that a brand must have. But what does science say about this? Or, to put it another way, does science support these claims?
Memory studies by Endel Tulving show that people tend to make decisions more quickly when an item is a typical member of a category rather than an unusual member. He called this the "typicality effect," also called the "prototype." He also points out that context is key when it comes to making decisions. Studies show that people respond much faster to an item if it has been preceded by another similar item. This is called the "context effect," also known as "priming." In short, it is easier for our brains to make decisions if the object, or the packaging in this case, can be easily associated with a category and if it has already been preceded by some clue that gives us a clue as to what we are going to find.
In an article I wrote a while back, I addressed the all india mobile number database reason why customers often choose to follow a similar path to the competition, applying the same logic. Our brains are constantly looking for ways to save energy, and the known and familiar is ideal for this purpose, mainly because it provides us with security and certainty. However, this does not imply that we should imitate others in everything. Distinctive coding or the "Von Restorff effect" suggests that an element that stands out from the rest has a greater chance of being remembered. That is why, especially with my clients, I emphasize the importance of "being distinctive." Finding the right balance is crucial for the consumer to recognize the product category, but at the same time perceive it as "original" and generate interest, which is far from simply being different.
Let us bear in mind that, for mass consumption products, the purchase decision is quite fast but, above all, lacking effort and energy. For this, our brain looks for patterns that can give it the guideline of what it is evaluating. Here, categorization and context are key. Taking Tulving's theories mentioned above, the supermarket and the gondola, above all, function as the context effect and the category, as the prototype.
Another important factor when thinking about a distinctive element is to understand what our consumers' objectives are and to be aligned with that. A wine in a bag, I'm sure, would be something different and would stand out on the shelf, but it is clearly far from the objectives or goals of a wine consumer, who identifies with good taste, pleasure and enjoyment.
The most important thing is to focus on the goals and objectives that consumers are looking for, especially the implicit ones, and not be guided so much by what they say but by how they behave. On the other hand, differentiation is a dogma that many preach but few practice and, as Phil Barden says, consumers do not know the brand's strategic plans (nor would they be interested in knowing them). You have to focus your energy on making something attractive, interesting, distinctive but, above all, recognizable. The consumer's brain will thank you for it.
Memory studies by Endel Tulving show that people tend to make decisions more quickly when an item is a typical member of a category rather than an unusual member. He called this the "typicality effect," also called the "prototype." He also points out that context is key when it comes to making decisions. Studies show that people respond much faster to an item if it has been preceded by another similar item. This is called the "context effect," also known as "priming." In short, it is easier for our brains to make decisions if the object, or the packaging in this case, can be easily associated with a category and if it has already been preceded by some clue that gives us a clue as to what we are going to find.
In an article I wrote a while back, I addressed the all india mobile number database reason why customers often choose to follow a similar path to the competition, applying the same logic. Our brains are constantly looking for ways to save energy, and the known and familiar is ideal for this purpose, mainly because it provides us with security and certainty. However, this does not imply that we should imitate others in everything. Distinctive coding or the "Von Restorff effect" suggests that an element that stands out from the rest has a greater chance of being remembered. That is why, especially with my clients, I emphasize the importance of "being distinctive." Finding the right balance is crucial for the consumer to recognize the product category, but at the same time perceive it as "original" and generate interest, which is far from simply being different.
Let us bear in mind that, for mass consumption products, the purchase decision is quite fast but, above all, lacking effort and energy. For this, our brain looks for patterns that can give it the guideline of what it is evaluating. Here, categorization and context are key. Taking Tulving's theories mentioned above, the supermarket and the gondola, above all, function as the context effect and the category, as the prototype.
Another important factor when thinking about a distinctive element is to understand what our consumers' objectives are and to be aligned with that. A wine in a bag, I'm sure, would be something different and would stand out on the shelf, but it is clearly far from the objectives or goals of a wine consumer, who identifies with good taste, pleasure and enjoyment.
The most important thing is to focus on the goals and objectives that consumers are looking for, especially the implicit ones, and not be guided so much by what they say but by how they behave. On the other hand, differentiation is a dogma that many preach but few practice and, as Phil Barden says, consumers do not know the brand's strategic plans (nor would they be interested in knowing them). You have to focus your energy on making something attractive, interesting, distinctive but, above all, recognizable. The consumer's brain will thank you for it.