In 60 Seconds
- •Definition: Distinctive Assets are sensory cues (colors, sounds, shapes, phrases) that trigger your brand in a buyer's brain.
- •Examples: The Nike Swoosh. The MGM Lion Roar. The T-Mobile Pink.
- •Differentiation vs. Distinctiveness: 'Differentiation' (Meaning) is hard to own. 'Distinctiveness' (Identity) is easy to own if you are consistent.
- •The Test: Remove your brand name from your ad. Does the customer still know it's you? If yes, you have strong assets.
- •The Trap: Rebranding. Marketers get bored and change colors. This burns down the memory structures you spent years building. Don't do it.
When you see a specific shade of brown truck, you know it's UPS. When you see Golden Arches, you know it's McDonald's.
These are Distinctive Assets. They are shortcuts for the brain.
Why You Need Them
In a Buying Moment (e.g., "I need a lawyer"), the customer's brain scans for options. It doesn't scan for "The Highest Quality Lawyer." That is too complex. It scans for Mental Availability—what brands are easy to recall?
If you have used the same Green Logo and Jingle for 10 years, you own that neural pathway. The customer thinks "The Green Lawyer."
Types of Assets
- Visual: Colors, Logos, Fonts, Mascots (The Geico Gecko).
- Verbal: Taglines ("Just Do It"), Tone of Voice.
- Auditory: Jingles, Sounds (Netflix "Ta-Dum").
- Stylistic: A specific way of taking photos or layout.
How to Build Them
1. Choose. Pick assets that are unique in your competitive set. If every plumber is Blue, be Red.
2. Audit. Look at every touchpoint (Website, Van, Uniform, Invoice, Facebook Ad). Are the assets present?
- Bad: Van is white, Website is blue.
- Good: Everything is "Safety Orange."
3. Freeze. Never change them. Marketing agencies love to sell "Rebrands." Resist. Unless your brand is toxic, a rebrand destroys your mental equity. You have to start over from zero. Be boring to yourself. Be iconic to the market.
Read Next in This Hub:
- Why Buyers Forget - The biology.
- Category Entry Points - Linking assets to needs.
Related System:
- Local Visibility Systems - Deploy your assets.