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Is your advertising campaign suffering from the "me too" syndrome. When spending your hard-earned money on advertising, make sure that you are highlighting what makes you different or unique. Don't get caught up in the "me too" game. Anyone can copy the competition but finding customers is all about being different in some unique way. Study what your competition is doing and see if you can create an image that separates you from your competitors in your customer's eyes.
Many times when a company has established a stronghold in a marketplace, the competition starts to copy the same type of advertising campaign. The challenge with this type of "copy" advertising is that your dollars just go to helping the other guy's marketing program. If the competition has a major jump on you in their advertising program where they are outspending you and were faster to the market on the advertising concept, your hard earned dollars will only serve to expand the public's awareness of the competition's brand. The public will think of your competition who was first and who has already occupied the public's mind. Remember being first or unique in the public's mind is one of the key concepts to developing strong brand recognition. If you can't be first, then be different or unique.
Originality can be the key to gaining the public's recognition. Can you separate yourself from the competition in your advertising or in your service by creating an original and unique promotion? Survey the competition in your locale and outside of your area to create some ideas. Borrow and improve upon advertising concepts from companies not in your same type of business. When you see an advertising program you find interesting or you think effective, keep it in mind for your business for some time in the future.
After finding what makes you stand out from your competition, use that key difference or uniqueness to build your branding platform around. Create, if you can, or hire out a company to develop your strategy and promote, promote, promote. Don't throw away your hard earned dollars on "copy cat" "me too" advertising.
August 13, 2000
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