A few months ago, #Cred dropped yet another bizarre ad. Not about rewards. Not about credit cards. Not even about finance.
Just random, slightly absurd storytelling… with celebrities behaving… well, un-celebrity-like.
Confusing? Yes.
Memorable? Absolutely.
Effective? Ask their market share.
While most fintech brands scream “cashback… rewards… benefits…”, Cred whispers nonsense.
And somehow, that nonsense makes more sense than everyone else’s logic.
Attention doesn’t come from clarity. It comes from contrast.
Take #Boat.
In a market flooded with “best sound quality” and “long battery life,” Boat didn’t sell specs.
They sold swagger.
Loud colours. Youth culture. Influencer energy.
They turned earphones into identity badges.
Others said: “Here’s our product.”
Boat said: “Here’s your vibe.”
People don’t buy products. They buy personality.
Then comes #Zomato.
Their push notifications are legendary.
“Your neighbour just ordered biryani.”
“Don’t scroll… eat.”
No discounts. No offers. Just wit.
In a sea of transactional messaging, Zomato built a relationship.
They sound like a friend… not a food app.
The medium is crowded. The tone is your escape route.
Look at #Fevicol.
Glue is boring. Adhesion is technical.
But Fevicol made it iconic.
Overloaded buses. Stuck chairs. Unbreakable bonds.
They didn’t explain the product.
They dramatized the outcome.
Don’t describe. Demonstrate.
Globally, #Dove rewrote the rulebook.
While beauty brands chased perfection, Dove showcased real people.
Real skin. Real stories. Real insecurities.
They didn’t sell soap.
They sold self-worth.
Authenticity is the ultimate differentiator.
And then there’s #LiquidDeath.
Yes… they sell water.
But packaged like a beer. Named like a metal band.
Why? Because normal water doesn’t go viral.
If your category is boring, your branding cannot be.
Most brands today sound like they were written by the same copy-paste playbook.
Because… they probably were.
Same words. Same promises. Same templates.
And now, with AI in the mix, sameness has become scalable.
But AI can generate content.
It cannot generate courage.
The courage to sound different.
The courage to be remembered before being understood.
Because in a world full of noise, clarity is overrated.
Contrast is king.
Different isn’t risky. Being forgettable is.
So the next time you write your brand story, ask yourself:
Are you being clear…
Or are you being copyable?
Are you making sense…
Or are you making impact?
Because if you sound like everyone…
You won’t sell to anyone.
And in the age of AI…
The real competitive advantage isn’t intelligence.
It’s original thinking.