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Skin in the game: celebrating distinctiveness
Celebrating the unique characteristics of any brand is a powerful way to communicate difference and create a sense of distinctiveness in the market. In this blog, Head of Design Jon celebrates what makes him distinct and how it influences the way he approaches the work of identity.
Now that it’s the end of summer, and after a few weeks of sunshine, I’ve started to notice some new patches of white pigment appearing on my hands. They won’t be going away anytime soon, unlike the fleeting British summer!
I have an auto-immune condition called Vitiligo which is characterised by the loss of pigmentation, resulting in white patches that appear on the skin. It’s something I’ve had since a young age and has gradually spread over time. Despite a few unkind comments on the school playground and a failed attempt to cover it up with fake tan (which looked more like an unfortunate mishap with a pile of dog s**t), I’ve grown to appreciate how it makes me, me.
I’m sharing this because, as strange as it sounds, it has influenced my approach to design.
When working with our clients, we always seek out what makes them unique and focus on highlighting those aspects to help them stand out. Sometimes, what differentiates a client from the competition is obvious; other times, it’s more nuanced. Either way, our job is to uncover that USP and shine a light on how it sets them apart from the crowd.
Passenger was unique in the way it brought together shared travel and data which we reflected with a murmuration graphic that weaves throughout the identity and has become a foundational element of the brand. Similarly, the illustrations we developed for the employee wellbeing platform, Symbio, create distinctive visual characteristics for the brand and are rolled out across both the app and other marketing material.
Our brand presentations often include a slide we affectionately refer to as ‘The Wall of Same.’ Many industries are saturated with competition that looks and sounds identical. With AI on the rise, this trend is only going to increase, so we strive to create work that celebrates the unique aspects of each client or project.
It’s not always comfortable to be different; there are times I wish my beard didn’t look like a badger stuck to my chin but, when it comes to what we do at Salad, leaning into what makes us distinctive, determines whether a project stands the test of time or fades into the background.
Our differences are our superpowers. Let’s embrace them.
If you’re interested in talking to us about how we can help you find your distinctiveness, please get in touch with a member of the team. Or, discover our branding and creative services for more information on how we help brands find their difference, and make that difference more distinctive.
