A version of this article was first published on our Excursion Studio mini-paper on how to make your brand stand out. Download it HERE.

We get it, the epic top of the summit shot is irresistible!

The lone climber at sunrise. The mountain biker mid-flight. The runner chasing their PR’s. 

It’s captivating. It screams adventure. It fuels aspiration and yes, it builds brand love.

But here’s the thing: In a world where every other brand is shooting the same visual game, it’s not very distinctive.

Strip away the logo (if you can even make it out), and it’s anyone’s guess who’s who. 

So how do you escape the sea of sameness?

Avoiding the sea of sameness starts with owning your identity.

Not just a logo, but a visual language that’s unmistakably yours. A design system that whispers your name before anyone even sees it.

One that massively fills the gap between your logo and the amazing imagery you put out.

The good news is there is plenty to go at to build a more distinctive identity.

In fact there are loads, that we believe the outdoor and active industry isn’t taking advantage of.

Check out this ISPOS study on which asset types work harder in advertising.

It’s ladent with clues. 

What’s most worrying is that the most overly relied on asset is the logo, which is lowest in the mix of assets.

And the word ‘mix’ is exactly where it is at; brands need a design system that can flex.

The team at On Running have obviously been following this script to the tee, to flip how you’d expect a running brand to show up.

Their latest campaign with Elmo ticks all these boxes – character, celebrity and even in one spot pointing out the flaws so the iconic logo to Roger Federer.

Then there is Burberry.

They took this one step further on Valentines day.

Not for the celebrity laden campaign (imagine the budget!) but for bringing to life the brands iconic knight logo as a real life character.

Yes the famous Burberry night was neatly sandwiched in between models Naomi Campbell and Liu Wen, whilst driven in a London cab by Richard E Grant for their London in love campaign.

Regardless of budget, what both of these examples show is that to get your brand noticed, you are going to have to think bigger than a top of the mountain glory shot.

Ask yourselves:

• What’s the spark of an idea that gives us permission to stand out differently?
• What distinctive assets do we have or not have; and how to we put them front and centre of our communication?
• How can the visual elements of my brand extend into culture?

This all starts with strong brand foundations.

Not sure if you’ve got the assets to put you to help you summit, then let us help assess where you are at.

With a free no-obligation brand review, where we’ll look at your brand versus your competitors and assess the opportunities for change.

So if you need your brand to cut through the noise?

Let’s make your brand unmistakable. By simply hitting the button below and booking FREE 1-to-1 discovery session today.