As the story goes, when Chiat/Day presented Steve Jobs with its iconically colorful silhouetted dancers campaign to introduce the iPod . . . he absolutely loved it.
But consumer focus groups didn't.
"Too different."
"I don't get it."
That would have been the death knell for many campaigns, but Jobs said, "Let's do it.", and the campaign went on to become one of the most popular and memorable technology campaigns ever.
(You can probably visualize it now.)
Jobs' bravery was an object lesson in a critical neuroscientific principle re: memorability: you can't be an outstanding brand if you don't stand out.
Disrupting the patterns and expectations of consumers whose minds are too often lulled to sleep with the "sea of sameness" that pervades most industry brandscapes is a consistently strong creative strategy.
Sometimes, getting consensus is necessary, but being a slave to it is no bueno.
In life and branding, be bold and prosper.
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