To stand out, first avoid the sameness trap

According to the latest Serviceplan Group CMO Barometer, efficiency will take center stage in 2025. The survey of over 800 global CMOs found that 75% of decision-makers expect their sectors to stagnate or decline in performance, while only a third anticipate increased marketing budgets. In this cautious climate, the focus on doing more with less makes sense.

Here’s the paradox: while CMOs prioritize efficiency, 71% also cite creativity and out-of-the-box thinking as their top requirement from agencies. This tension between efficiency-driven processes and the demand for bold creativity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for brands.

Same, same

Samification has become a global trend, affecting everything from retail experiences to digital content. A growing sense of uniformity exists across various content channels and physical spaces. The implications for brand differentiation are significant and potentially concerning.

Consider vacation rentals and coffee shops: being “Instagrammable” can often supersede uniqueness. This shift is driven by a desire to align with cultural trends, as influencers and peers can shape consumer preferences. When traveling, we often choose familiar-feeling establishments over authentic local experiences, minimizing the risk of disappointment through recognition from our social media feeds. This behavior, while understandable, contributes to a homogenization of experiences globally.

This pattern extends to media consumption – from true crime podcasts to streaming content and TikTok trends. While algorithmic preferences and consumer behavior favor familiar formats, they leave us yearning for distinctive experiences. Content creators and platforms increasingly follow proven formulas, creating a cycle of predictability that, while profitable, may ultimately diminish creative diversity.

In marketing, we find similar homogenization: pretested storyboards, optimized digital assets driven by opaque algorithmic systems, an increasing focus on global platforms over unique, local publications in media placements, and dominant design trends that strip even iconic brands of their heritage: Jaguar being a recent example.

The pursuit of data-driven perfection often leads to a convergence of visual and messaging strategies, making it increasingly difficult for brands to stand out in a crowded marketplace.

Opportunities for excellence

The silver lining is clear: increased mediocrity creates opportunities for excellence. In a landscape of sameness, truly distinctive approaches have the potential to capture disproportionate attention and engagement.

Achieving excellence demands boldness and trust. Boldness shouldn’t be confused with reckless differentiation: rather, it means identifying and consistently applying core brand strengths across all communication aspects – from assets and storytelling to media touchpoint selection. The resurgence of humor in award-winning advertising demonstrates how leading brands embrace differentiation through less measurable but more resonant approaches.

Furthermore, trust in agency partnerships is crucial. The path forward for 2025 lies in fostering open dialogue, building strong relationships, and establishing processes to enable swift experimentation between brands and their agencies. This collaborative approach allows for the perfect balance between efficiency and creativity, enabling brands to maintain their distinctive voice while leveraging technological advancements.

Success in 2025 will require a delicate balance: embracing efficiency-driving technologies while preserving the human creativity that drives meaningful brand differentiation. Brands that can strike this balance – maintaining their unique identity while optimizing their processes – will be best positioned to thrive in an increasingly homogenized market landscape.

This, in turn, will enable them to become true and meaningful trendsetters, rather than just sanded-down followers.