THINK ABOUT IT: Don Draper on “Different” versus “Better”

As a marketer, you’re probably familiar with Don Draper.

Mr. Draper is a founding and senior partner and creative head for a fictitious ad agency, Sterling Cooper.

He is featured in the series Mad Men. Jon Hamm plays his character.

Don is a slick huckster, a scoundrel, a womanizer, hard-drinking, and archetypal of our perceptions of the ad man of the 1950s.

But despite his many flaws, Don knows advertising.

In response to my earlier article this week, "Different? Better? Which is a 'Better' Brand Promise" (https://www.dhirubhai.net/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7178411311297376256/ )a friend and colleague, Umit Alston, Ph.D., shared this quote from Don Draper:

“Success comes from standing out, not fitting in.”

Yes, a brand promise, anyone, or anything for that matter, can stand out by being “better.” However, it must be heads and shoulders above the field. It must be experienced in deed, not just in word.

Our brand promise (you, too!) has a better chance of standing out and compelling target customers’ preference by being “different.”

It is imperative that the difference is relevant and meaningfully differentiated from competitors.

THINK ABOUT IT

• Is your brand promise “better” or “different?”
• How might your target customer experience it?
• To what customer segment is it relevant and meaningfully differentiated versus your competitors?

MAKE YOUR MARKETING MATTER MORE

·????? As Steve Jobs encouraged us, “Think Different.”

If you found this article helpful, please follow me on LinkedIn https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/richarddczerniawski/ , where I share my perspectives from more than 50 years of successful worldwide “brand” marketing experience across many business sectors.

Make your marketing matter even more to build a leadership brand! Marketing errors can prevent you from achieving a leadership brand and realizing its full potential. Please read my most recent book, AVOIDING CRITICAL MARKETING ERRORS: How to Go from Dumb to Smart Marketing. Learn more and order here: https://www.amazon.com/AVOIDING-CRITICAL-MARKETING-ERRORS-Marketing-ebook/dp/B084YXVWFY/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3GK7L6C5ZFK2J&keywords=Avoiding+Critical+Marketing+Errors&qid=1704215761&s=digital-text&sprefix=avoiding+critical+marketing+errors%2Cdigital-text%2C118&sr=1-1 . I share many learnings to help you avoid critical marketing errors and suggest specific actions to help you take your marketing to the next level in building a strong, healthy, leadership brand.

Peace and best wishes for making your marketing matter more,

Richard D. Czerniawski