Are you blending in or standing out? 💥

Published: Thu, 06/06/24

Updated: Thu, 06/06/24

Stand out in bubble letters surrounded by blue gum sticks and white gum pieces on a light blue background

Hi there friend,

As a graphic designer, the grocery store is a very distracting place for me. I always get carried away admiring (or critiquing) the countless brands on the shelves.

On a recent trip to the grocery store, I saw something I wanted to share with you. Take a look at the picture below ⬇️

Which brand immediately catches your eye?

The Refresh Plant Based Gum, right? (This is not an ad, nor are they a sponsor or partner 🤣)

That’s no accident. This is a good example of effective Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) branding. Refresh’s minimalist visual identity–in particular, their use of color and the design of their product display–is so aesthetically different from their competitors, their product almost jumps out at you from the shelf. My eye was immediately drawn to their packaging. Now, everytime I get to the checkout, I'm tempted to buy it–even though I’m not a big fan of chewing gum. 😁

Source

FMCG brands in grocery stores have a lot of competition–just look at all the other gum brands in the picture! Grocery stores stock thousands of brands, and, depending on the type of item, a consumer can be forced to choose between dozens at a time. So, brands have to stand out if they want to be seen and considered.

This is absolutely applicable to other industries as well. Whatever your business or size, you need to figure out how to stand out from the competition, and to do that, you need to get to know them. This is where competitor research comes in.

How to Conduct Competitor Research 🕵️‍♂️

Identify Your Competitors: Start by identifying both direct and indirect competitors. Direct competitors offer similar products or services, while indirect ones fulfill the same need in a different way.
Analyze Their Branding: Study their brand identity, messaging, and overall brand experience. Identify their strengths and weaknesses. Then think about what you can do differently to set yourself apart from them.
Study Their Online Presence: Review their website, social media, and content. Pay attention to engagement levels and audience feedback to gauge what resonates with their customers.
Evaluate Their Customer Experience: If possible, experience their customer journey first-hand. This can provide insights into their strengths and areas where you can offer a better experience.
Keep an Eye on Reviews and Feedback: Read customer reviews and feedback on various platforms. This can give you a deeper understanding of their strengths and weaknesses from a customer perspective.

Now Take Action 🚀

In the ever-evolving world of business, understanding your competitors is crucial to designing a brand that stands out. Keep in mind that competitor research is a continuous process that should be done regularly, at least once a year if not more depending on the needs of your business.

Your brand serves as the first point of contact between your business and potential customers, so it is essential to have a consistent brand that grabs attention and communicates your company's values, personality, and professionalism instantly.

If you are able, hiring a professional brand designer is absolutely worth the money. But if that is not in the cards, there are resources available online to help you create a brand identity yourself.

Head over to Pinterest and search for brand identity inspiration for your industry, then check out some of my favorite designers on IG for further education and inspiration:@barnardco, @brandsbyrobin, @chittco, @color.palette.studio. And be sure to sign up for Canva, which is chock full of amazing templates and inspiration (bonus: did you know you can design in Canva without leaving your AWeber account?).

My challenge to you this summer is to make sure you know your competition, then reassess your business’s current branding. Doing this now could help you stand out more in the marketing madness of the end of the year. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go chew some gum. 🫧

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