Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Comment, Communication Strategy, Creativity, Culture, Cunning, Differentiation, Entertainment, Marketing, Positioning
Over the next few weeks I’m going to be writing a lot about differentiation, including a theory that suggests that while it continues to be vitally important for brands, the way they are going about it is utterly, utterly wrong.
But day 2 of post writing in a New Year is far too early to lay down such heavy subject matters so instead I’ll leave you with this …
Now I admit I stole this photo from a friends Facebook update, but I love it.
Window cleaning from men in kilts.
Bloody genius.
Differentiating while making a statement about sexism in culture all at the same time.
Though I appreciate that second part might be me attributing reasons they might not have had.
But there is something magical in the ridiculousness of it all, something that makes you smile and actually want to have them come over to your place to wash your windows.
And yet it still feels better than the way a lot of big companies approach differentiation.
Maybe it’s because they seem to own the madness of it – laughing with the audience rather than have them laugh at them with statements like ‘no peeking’ – whereas other organizations try and justify their differentiation-for-the-sake-of-differentiation in serious overtones … trying to imply their small and insignificant improvement is the second coming of Christ.
So here’s to the Men In Kilts for reminding us that being serious about what you do doesn’t mean you have to serious about who you are.
18 Comments so far
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well done campbell, youve killed all hope for 2018 I’m 2 fucking blog posts.
Comment by andy@cynic January 9, 2018 @ 6:37 amand if theyre doubling the fucking discount there doesnt seem to be that much fucking demand for men in kilts. thank fuck.
Comment by andy@cynic January 9, 2018 @ 6:39 amThey’re not making a statement about sexism, they’re men cleaning windows in kilts.
Comment by DH January 9, 2018 @ 6:48 amI can honestly say I would not enjoy seeing my windows cleaned by a man in a kilt.
Comment by DH January 9, 2018 @ 6:50 amHave you ever watched your windows be cleaned by a man wearing a kilt?
Comment by George January 9, 2018 @ 6:54 amNo. But that doesn’t mean I can’t knock it till I’ve tried it.
That’s what you were trying to set me up for wasn’t it.
Comment by DH January 9, 2018 @ 7:04 amYes.
Comment by George January 9, 2018 @ 7:13 amPredictable.
Comment by DH January 9, 2018 @ 7:45 am“Being serious about what you do doesn’t mean you have to serious about who you are.” I think you prove that point Robert more than the men in kilts. I look forward to reading your view on the wrong and right way to approach differentiation. But not as much as TBWA will be.
Comment by George January 9, 2018 @ 6:57 am+ 1
Comment by Pete January 9, 2018 @ 7:23 amI bet chicks in kilts makes more.
Comment by Billy Whizz January 9, 2018 @ 7:28 amNew year. Old Billy.
Comment by DH January 9, 2018 @ 7:44 amIt’s good to have you back. Happy 2018.
Comment by Lee Hill January 9, 2018 @ 8:08 amI think you’re guilty of reading too much into this because of the long-overdue discrimination discussion. You could, in fact, argue that they’re deliberately objectifying themselves in the hope of getting more business.
Comment by John January 9, 2018 @ 8:34 ameven campbell admits he is reading too much into it. but then he reads too much into forest stuffing arsenal when we all know its planner bollocks.
Comment by andy@cynic January 9, 2018 @ 8:41 amYou’re assuming I read the whole post.
Comment by John January 9, 2018 @ 8:47 amActually, you could see this as misogynist insofar as it implies that women hiring these guys will be unable to resist looking up their kilts rather than focussing on their cleaning skills.
Comment by John January 9, 2018 @ 2:17 pmHey Rob, dont’you think what we are dealing here with is rather distinctiveness than differentiation? I mean there is no additional benefit suggested, it’s not like they take a position in relation to category or promise anything unique, other than just being in kilts… It looks to me like it’s just plain ol’ cleaning service, but wrapped up in a really distinctive branding.
cheers!
Comment by Paweł January 10, 2018 @ 12:08 am