Differentiation Examples

There are many ways to differentiate your business, and one way is by making a visual difference, like branding expert and author, Laura Ries, describes here.

Here are some other examples of businesses that are radically differentiated from the competition, where they can be seen, heard, and remembered.

Dell Computer: In a crowded personal computer marketplace, Dell sold direct to order, and stood out.

Hardee’s: When other fast food chains were getting “healthy,” Hardee’s reinvented itself with the Thickburgers. (Unapologetically, the Monster Thickburger contains 1,420 calories!)

Body Shop: Founder Anita Roddick focused on all-natural ingredients, not product benefit claims.

Pepsi: When Coke was “classic,” Pepsi became the choice of the new generation.

Southwest Airlines: Became the first no-frills, point-to-point airline flying out of secondary hubs.

Voss: Charges $6 for bottled water in a designer container.

Enterprise: Ignored airports and focused on suburban locations and the “insurance replacement” market

Bratz: Barbie is an all-American children’s doll, while Bratz is a hip, modern doll with attitude.

Tom’s of Maine: When Crest and Colgate fought over market share for cavity and tartar control, Tom’s advertised all-natural ingredients (and Colgate bought them out for a cool $100 million).

Wal-Mart: Sam Walton took department stores to the hinterlands instead of the cities and made a fortune.

I’m sure you could think of other businesses whose unique attributes and differentiating factors have propelled them into the minds of millions of consumers.

Return to Differentiate Effectively