Herman Melville said it best when he stated, “It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.” The reason this is such an awesome quote is because it encourages people, businesses and industries to be innovative to discover unique solutions to their problems. It’s always best to be original with your business ideas, approach and practice because it helps your business establish a brand identity that distinguishes you from your competitors. There’s so much noise in the crowded marketplace that you could lose business if you don’t present something different.
“It’s always best to be original with your business ideas, approach and practice because it helps your business establish a brand identity that distinguishes you from your competitors.”
We live in interesting times thanks to a phenomenon that I refer to as “copy culture,” where people copy things without even giving it a second thought. Although it’s always great to have inspiration and be inspired by the works of others, especially if they’re famous or known as industry leaders, copying another person or business could potentially land you into hot water. I once worked for a company that had copied the specifications of the gadget they were selling directly from the website of their competitors. It turned out one of the competitors had modified their gadget to their own specifications and caught the company red-handed for their copyright infringement. The competitor ordered the immediate takedown of their content from the company’s website or risk legal action against the business.
“Although it’s always great to have inspiration and be inspired by the works of others, especially if they’re famous or known as industry leaders, copying another person or business could potentially land you into hot water.”
The previous example is an example of how copying and being unoriginal can cause trouble for a business, but what are the benefits of being original and authentic? For starters, you get to keep your soul. By that I mean the core of your brand identity and the essence which makes you and your business unique. This could also be your Unique Value Proposition (UVP), which is something that you offer your clients that nobody else does. People look up to industry leaders and try to imitate them because they are successful at what they do. The problem with copying industry leaders is that you do not know the thought processes, hurdles and changes involved in their decision. In chasing the identity of the industry leader, you could potentially lose your own identity in the process. That can and will lead to even more problems down the road. As if experiencing an identity crisis wasn’t bad enough, right?
“The problem with copying industry leaders is you do not know the thought processes, hurdles and changes involved in their decision.”
Nothing makes me cringe more than when someone asks to copy a design without fully understanding the design or the context of why the design works for the particular business. I like to work your original content and fuse the design with the content. This ensures that your design will be uniquely tailored to your content. As a designer, I refuse to flat out copy another design without the full details of the design or the designer, including copyright issues. I get it though, copying the industry leaders makes your company come across as having a bigger budget than it really does, which could lead to more sales. At this point though, I’m inclined to say you’re only selling out in the process–and I don’t mean that in a good way.
“As a designer, I refuse to flat out copy another design without the full details of the design or the designer, including copyright issues.”
The moral of the story is that being original can be challenging, but with practice you will get better at it. When you’re at the point where your brand identity is fully formed, you’ll reap in the rewards and don’t be surprised when others try to imitate you too. Stick to being original and it’ll do wonders for you and your business.
“When you’re at the point where your brand identity is fully formed, you’ll reap in the rewards and don’t be surprised when others try to imitate you too.”
When you’re in the market for original and creative designs to help build onto your brand identity, contact The Lucky Tekkie Inc. for our Digital Marketing and Design services. We’ll help you build your brand identity with your website, flyer or brochure design. Call or text Lee at 519-617-0550 or email lee@theluckytekkie.com to complete your next project!
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Everything is very open with a clear description of the issues. It was definitely informative. Your site is extremely helpful. Thanks for sharing!
In actual fact, being original makes you a leader!