#01 - Waging A War On Blanding
In the newfangled world of branding and advertising, a somewhat perturbing trend has come to the fore over the past decade; “Blanding”.
This is the trend of brands adopting simplistic, unoriginal and monotonous “design”, a term of which I use loosely, in lieu of creative and illustrative branding we have come to know and love; stripping brands of any discerning character and originality they may have had.
The true principles of classic marketing and advertising concepts – the power of words and creativity – have been jettisoned. And we’re mad about it.
The advertising and branding landscape has significantly changed since the 50’s and 60’s print media era. Gone are the ad houses of yesteryear – the ‘Mad Men’ days, where advertising was purely aggregated by creativity, innovation and ingenuity. A thoroughly crafted message was the bedrock of advertising best practise. A message that would leave an indelible influence on its audience, to stand out from competition.
Print ads were meticulously fashioned with attention to detail, and copy writers were masters of the art of persuasion. Brands such as Coca-Cola, Ford Motors and Marlborough were experts in creating a distinctive brand identity.
The advent of the internet and the rise of digital marketing, the focus has shifted from creativity to efficiency, and from imagination to insights. The marketing nucleus has transposed from original content and crafted messages, and are far more perturbed by optimizing their campaigns for clicks, likes, and shares, to proverbially cast a large net, in the hope of catching a bite. A noble, and somewhat necessary, cause in the modern world – there is an undivided need for digital marketing - But to overlook content will not come without consequence.
The trend is seen from logos to packaging to advertising campaigns. Logos are becoming more simplistic with less intricate design. Packaging is becoming increasingly uniform, with similar shapes and colours. And advertising campaigns are becoming more formulaic, with brands relying on clichéd imagery and tired messaging.
Blandness is not just a problem for brands – but consumers. When every brand looks the same, it becomes harder for consumers to make informed purchasing decisions. The bigger brands are now flagging, depending solely on their reputation. Or at least, rinsing what’s left of it.
The power of words and creativity cannot be understated in advertising and branding. The ability to craft a compelling message that resonates with its audience, and imagery that leaves an everlasting influence, is what sets apart the great brands, from the mediocre. A great brand message isn’t just about a logo or a colour scheme, it’s about an emotional connection, and sense of meaning, that it creates for it’s audience.
So, how can we reverse the ‘Blanding’ blues, and wage a war on this seemingly parasitic trend in the world of advertising? We must reinvest in creativity. Hire designers and copywriters that are allowed to nurture creativity and master the art of persuasion; become experts at telling a story that resonates with its audience; take risks and experiment with ideas, rather than persisting with tiresome and monotonous formulas, and exhaust social media subterfuge.
What is the emotional connection that a brand wants to mould with its audience? Telling a story and crafting a message that sets a brand apart from its competition. A message, through the power of innovative design and captivating copy, that captures the essence of their brand.
As stated, overlooking content will come with consequences for brands, with the plague of blandness looming as a worrying development in the branding and advertising world. Brands are at risk of becoming indistinguishable from their fellow competitors. Name and reputation are not enough to continue to charm and chicane consumers; with credit in the bank ceaselessly depleting. Let’s revive the power of words and creativity, to set brands apart, and stand out in these newfangled times.
