What are Distinctive Brand Assets and why do they matter?
“The best marketing doesn’t feel like marketing.”
If you hear Justin Timberlake sing, ‘I’m loving it’.
If you see a black tick on someone’s sweater.
If you pick up a chocolate bar in a triangle-shaped box at the airport.
You don’t need to be Sherlock Holmes to guess which brands we’re referring to.
The above are all examples of Distinctive Brand Assets (DBAs) designed to create ‘mental shortcuts’ that help people identify a brand without seeing its name.
Why Distinctiveness Matters
In today’s world, the average person is bombarded with marketing messages. It’s like an avalanche of information that causes endless confusion.
Seeing through the fog is so hard that studies show that viewers often misattribute ads to other brands, usually the category leader.
Paying to help advertise the competition? No thanks.
The Role of Distinctive Brand Assets
DBAs are non-brand-name elements that make your brand instantly recognisable. They’re critical when:
Potential customers browse shelves or scroll online.
Ads appear without explicit logos or names.
To use DBAs effectively, you should focus on two dimensions:
1. Fame: How many category buyers associate the asset with your brand?
2. Uniqueness: Does your brand own this asset, or is it shared with competitors?
Building and Measuring Your DBAs
Your DBAs aren’t what you think they are. They’re what real customers associate with your brand. Therefore, always validate them through consumer research.
Coca-Cola might assume its polar bears are a strong DBA, but research shows its red and white colour palette is more famous and unique.
Why Consistency Matters
The more consistently you use your DBAs, the stronger they become. Consistency helps your lighter buyers, who are less familiar with your brand and more prone to confusion.
Imagine redesigning your product packaging. A lighter buyer may not recognise it on the shelf, leading to a lost sale. The orange juice brand Tropicana made this mistake once and was forced to revert to the old design.
Keeping your DBAs consistent avoids such mishaps.
Examples of DBAs
For a textbook example of DBA success, look no further than MasterCard. For over two decades, MasterCard has stuck with the ‘Priceless’ campaign, which scores highly on fame and uniqueness.
Below are some examples of other DBAs that various famous brands employ to good effect.
Logos
Google: The multicoloured ‘G.’
Pepsi: The red, white, and blue globe.
Twitter: The blue bird.
Faces (Mascots or Spokespersons)
Colonel Sanders: The face of KFC.
Tony the Tiger: For Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes.
The Michelin Man: For Michelin tyres.
Colours
John Deere: Green and yellow.
Tiffany & Co.: The unique ‘Tiffany Blue.’
IKEA: Blue and yellow.
Words (Slogans or Taglines)
L’Oréal: ‘Because You’re Worth It.’
Burger King: ‘Have It Your Way.’
De Beers: ‘A Diamond Is Forever.’
Shapes (Products or Packaging)
Coca-Cola: The iconic contour bottle.
Chanel No. 5: The rectangular glass perfume bottle.
Toblerone: The triangular prism packaging.
Sonic Assets (Sounds or Jingles)
Intel: The ‘Intel Inside’ chime.
McDonald’s: The “Ba-da-ba-ba-baa” jingle.
Harley-Davidson: The rumble of its engine. Yes, it’s trademarked!
Regardless of their form, DBAs are about being instantly recognisable and cutting through the noise. The best brands keep these assets consistent, making them easier to remember.
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