I’m just packing up for our family’s annual trip to sit on the lake in northern Minnesota.
You know, we travel a lot, but this is the one trip every year where we don’t really have an agenda. Sure, we ride bikes and drive boats but it’s really just about slowing down, sitting back, eating good food, and relaxing.
And I gotta say, this year, I need this trip more than ever.
Because, let’s get real.
We’re living in a loud and chaotic world right now where things change in the blink of an eye, and every single day we’re met with another unbelievable headline.
This constant bombardment can result in a psychological phenomenon called psychic numbing where we become emotionally detached and indifferent to large-scale suffering or threats. And the psychological effect doesn’t just stop with our response to the original stimulus, it can permeate throughout everything we experience on a daily basis.
Yes! I’m a behavioral science nerd!
In short, it drains us, and it puts us on our heels.
It’s easy to bring that same mindset into our brands. With so much noise out there, it seems like it might be easiest to just play it safe.
But that’s not what your brand needs right now. And if you’re out there just playing it safe, you’re just fading into the background like a bland beige wall.
And, I know that Mocha Mouse, a pretty bland beige brown gray color (aka griege) is the Pantone color of the year, but no one actually cares about beige. It’s just a way to blend in.
So, at a time when everyone is bringing the bland, there’s an amazing opportunity to stand out. And to make people feel something—anything. Whether it’s a laugh, a surprise, or even a little discomfort.
So, here’s the question to ask yourself: Is your brand actually saying anything worth hearing? Or are you just disappearing into the noise.
I don’t know why I always come up with three things, but, I’ve got three things that you can do to stop blending in and start standing out.
Here it goes:
1) Make People Feel Something
People are tired of the predictable brand blabber—they want real, they want raw, and they want something they can actually feel.
Ask yourself, what is something that will make my audience sit up and say, “Wait, what just happened?”
Challenge the norms. Try something new.
2) Get Real
People are over the fake smiles, the cliché taglines, and overly-polished ads. If you’re trying to sound “professional” or act like you’re fitting in, you’re missing the point.
Get real.
Tell real stories not just regurgitate your functional benefits.
Share the highs, the lows, the things that will make people actually care about you.
If your brand isn’t speaking with a voice that feels like it’s coming from a real human, you’re not connecting. You’re just talking to yourself.
3) Own A Personality
If your brand doesn’t have a personality, it’s invisible.
Let your brand be something—whether it’s rebellious, sarcastic, quirky, nerdy, or just plain funny.
You want to make people feel something, not yawn and scroll right past. You want them to remember you—and guess what? You don’t do that by blending in.
If your brand feels like it’s just checking the boxes this summer and playing it safe…it’s boring and it’s a waste of your time and money.
Stop being afraid to stand out.
Stop being afraid to be different.
Seize this opportunity to be loud, and unexpected. To bring energy and possibility to your people. Because here’s the truth: if you don’t do it, someone else will, and you’ll just fade into the background.
And on that note, I gotta finish getting packed!