One of the exciting parts about marketing is the ability to be original and creative especially as a small business owner.
Unless you do not use the internet it was hard to miss the campaign for Old Spice. If you missed it then Rohit Bahargava on his Influential Marketing Blog wrote a good piece on the campaign. It had all the elements needed for success, was well planned and executed and very involving.
Since the campaign commenced and especially last week there were a number of other videos produced, which some called spoofs. Some were quite good; others well let’s just say their friends probably liked them.
One of these videos was for a world known charity that does so much to help people around the world. It has its own personality, tone and essential elements that make its brand unique. To do a parody did not add up.
Remember the old spice commercials and the social media campaign has a personality and tonality that they own. Put another product or business in and it does not work.
So, what does this have to do with your marketing?
While it is tempting do not copy what some other brand is doing. It can confuse your customers, dilute your brand’s personality and when you get down to it be a big waste of time and money.
If one of your competitors does something that seems to work learn from it but do not be an imitation as the one that gains from this is your competitor.
With any type of marketing communication it needs to reinforce what the brand is all about, the key message, style etc. Importantly the communication must connect with your customers and if you copy a competitor or another brand from another market chances you are not strengthening the relationships you need to be successful.
What are your thoughts on this?
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You Lose If You Are a Copycat With Your Marketing…
One of the exciting parts about marketing is the ability to be original and creative especially as a small business owner. However if you just copy what someone else does it can harm your brand and confuse your customers….
Susan,
I agree with you that it is not a good idea to copy. It just looks bad. But emulation is another thing entirely. When we see something that works, it can be a very beneficial thing to model our idea after something that has already proven successful. In that way, we don’t have to re-invent the wheel.
As a total novice in business myself, I have done a lot of emulation with a fair degree of success. It is about looking to experts, seeing their tried and true ideas and using parts.
Great thought-provoking post!
Yoni
Hi Yoni,
You are so right about emulation and that is the way most of us learn effectively. I think you are doing great things and I am learning about creativity from you, so thank you.
Very true Susan. It certainly is tempting to mimic someone elses tactics, especially when originality is not only hard, but has no gaurantee of success.
Paul Novak recently posted..Heresy!- Irrelevant Content is Good Content
Hi Paul,
You make very good points and it is hard work to be original. I must admit I liked the fact that P&G took the risk especially when so many give big businesses a hard time.
Thanks for your comment Paul.
Most people calling themselves marketing experts have no idea what they are doing. Since they don’t have any ideas and creativity they just have to copy what someone else is doing.
Several people have sent me messages saying they want to copy my blog for their company. Frankly if they can’t create an identity for their company they should get help and not copy someone.
Catarina Alexon recently posted..Get back in the saddle again!
Hi Catarina,
I agree with you about finding their own identity. This is one of the elements that sets our brand apart from others.
Thanks for your comment.
Sometimes copying is the most sincere form of flattery. I find a lot of inspiration in the world. I have to. Where else do you find it?
Heather Fonseca recently posted..10 ways to feel beautiful
Hi Heather,
Finding inspiration is fine and that is one of the ways we learn. The problem with just copying what someone does in a campaign is that it benefits the brand you copied and not your brand.
Thanks for commenting.
Even though I agree with you not to copy 100%, it’s a great idea to use whats working for others though. As Jay Abraham said, he has never had an original idea in his life. Take what works for a competitor or a related company and make it your own, but use the same aspects that are working.
I have always had success with all my sales page copy, advertisements, etc by just checking the top competitor and making my version one step better then theirs.
Good post though.
Travis Petelle recently posted..If you register your site for free at
Hi Travis,
I agree that you need to see what is working for others. That is why keeping a check on the top competitors is important. The problem as Catarina said you need you own identity. I am not talking about the tactics but if the look, feel and tone is the same then I think you can lessen the chance of success.
An old research technique is to blank out the brand name and see if the target market can correctly identify the brand. This was one way to see if all elements making up the identity was clear or if in fact they were attributed to competitors.
Thanks for your comment.
Definitely, you don’t want to outright copy, but you also don’t want to be “too” original. I think one needs to see what works for others and find a new creative slant.
Once in a while someone pops way out of the box and succeeds, but typically it is too wild for the average consumer and gets lost.
When I have the time and resources I will survey all advertising ideas (as well as logos, company names, etc.). This is important!
Laura Sherman recently posted..Dean Blehert On Becoming A Poet
Hi Laura,
You are right about the potential danger of being too original. What is important is making sure whatever you do connects with your specific target market. The point about looking at advertising and other elements is spot on and that is often part of the process when developing creative work such as a brand identity.
The problem with the examples I gave was the personality of the charity brand was so different to old spice that it would confuse their potential donors.
Appreciate your comments.
Ah, that makes sense. Yes, if you’re selling shoes, but using an ad campaign from a software company, that would put the wrong images in the consumer’s mind. Good point!
That is a good example Laura and thanks for adding to the discussion
I agree you should not copy someones marketing campaign especially if it is your competitor. I do think you can tweak your marketing to keep up with the trends.If your competitors are using social networking and you are not then you may want to copy. There is a difference between coping and keeping up with the trends.
Hi Julia,
You are right about keeping up with trends and tweaking your marketing. Using the same tactics I don’t think is copying it is just if you take their creative ideas, tone etc and use it to promote your brand then that does not make sense.
Thanks for your comments.
Susan
I was thinking about this post and wondered what you would think about my plans. It is not original and I was wondering if it would be considered copying. I am putting together a training on writing a book from the idea to sending it to the printer. I plan to do it locally. Tape it and then have it online. It is not a new idea but I am planning on using my own content.
Julia M Lindsey recently posted..A Bedtime Story- The Dawn Redwood — Back From Extinction
Hi Julia,
Your idea is fine. As I mentioned using the same tactics is not copying. When I worked in marketing we all used the same tactics such as TV, print and promotions in store. The creative elements and details were different specifically targeted to appeal to our consumers. That said just using the same tactics that others do without inderstanding if they will help achieve your objectives is not a good idea.
I like your idea and as you will be creating it it will have your tone, personality, the way you write and specific elements that will make it yours and that is the difference.
Let us know how you progress as I am sure the training will be of great benefit.
Totally agree Susan! It’s so important to keep your brand unique and that even goes for your marketing.
Stacey N. recently posted..City Life Field Trip – Phantom Of The Opera
Unique is the right word Stacey otherwise we can get to the stage where we just confuse our customers.
I think people miss the real value of originality. It depends a great deal on how you define “success”. If you have a monetary goal, and riding someone elses successful idea will get you to that goal, then fine, originality is not of too much interest. That’s how most of the corporate world works today. One person has a great idea, it succeeds wildly, then 20 other people produce their own versions.
But, the person who takes the risks and works at producing a truly orginal idea, is the one who stands to gain the greatest, and most enduring success.
Paul, your comments have summed up the issue well, esecially the last sentence. The probem I think for small businesses is if they just copy when they hear something is successful without thinking it through.
Thanks for your thoughts.