77- PR and Marketing Laws – Rule No. 17: Opposites

We say that opposites attract, but that’s not what we’re talking about here.

This law is sometimes used by brands to highlight what sets them apart from their closest competitor.

Think of Apple and Microsoft, and that magnificent ad campaignthat has become iconic: I’m a Mac, I’m a PChighlights how the two brands are different: The Mac is represented by a relaxed young man wearing a hoodie (cool and hip).

The PC is represented by a man in his forties wearing a suit and tie (old school).

The PC has a cold and is afraid of viruses, but viruses don’t scare the Mac.

The Mac is creative, while the PC is serious and boring.

This strategy is often used by brands that are in second or third place in consumers’ minds.

Today, with its market capitalization of more than $3 trillion, it’s clear that Apple played its cards right, as the company has surpassed Microsoft, which has a market capitalization of more than $2 trillion.

Think back to the Pepsi campaign (the choice of a new generation: The Pepsi Generation).

This is another example that perfectly illustrates the Law of Opposites.

Coca-Cola is a traditional brand that is more than a century old, while Pepsi is a young, hip brand.

This law enables brands to showcase themselves and keep at a distance those brands that are just behind, by monopolizing the opposites angle.

Consumer behaviour analysts have noticed that brand markets have often had two distinct groups: those who love the number one brand and those who would buy anything other than the number one brand.

This is where PR can help to promote the value of the brands that are not giants and not right at the top of the ladder: Journalists and influencers love talking about new brands; The local aspect is more appreciated among influencers and the media; Magazines exist to allow people to discover new products and trends.

At Nata, we often use this law when we introduce ourselves to new clients: we are a boutique, human-scale agency.

Meaning that: we’re not one of these huge agencies that takes on more and more contracts to pay their rent and large numbers of employees… Do you know what you could highlight that makes you stand out from your competitors?

I hope you enjoyed this episode, and that this PR/marketing moment stimulates your creativity.

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