dodge the cult of the average

Bring back the Brand Voice that is often muffled under generic category insights.
It is only when you use a brand’s unique identity to address a relevant human & cultural tension will you have an idea that is out of the ordinary & of consequence. 

Step 1.  Know your Brand’s Equity. And Get to an interesting Brand Truth, first.
What is your Brand’s unique POV? What’s your brand’s personality? Why does your brand exist in this world? What is the brand uniquely solving for? Who is the brand’s favorite user? What are some of the things your brand would never do? What are the quirks? What are your brand’s imperfections? What is the brand purpose? How does the brand express its purpose? 
An incisive understanding of the brand is the cornerstone of great marketing, and seems to have gotten lost in the dazzle of all the data and tech. Knowing your brand’s equity – and speaking the brand’s voice is not about making the brand seem perfect. People are not perfect. It’s the unique combinations of strengths AND flaws, and the way in which they are expressed that makes a person special. The same principle applies for brands too. Understand the strengths, embrace the quirks & use them to develop your unique way of looking at the world & framing situations. 
Brand Truths provide the Dimension, the much-needed facet for ingenuity. 

Step 2. Dig Deep to find the Human Truths  / Insights
With the deluge of data, information is more often than not, masquerading as insights.
Information is important - and helps answer the ‘WHAT’. But the ‘WHAT’ needs the additional lens of ‘WHY’ for it to qualify as insights.  
That she is spending 45% of her screen time on YouTube is important information. Not an insight. That 90% of that content is ‘How To’ videos is also important information. Not an insight yet. That she watches these videos to be of value to her community - and be seen as giving knowledge to them. That’s the start of an insight.
That she is interested in anti-aging products and that it is the No.1 searched query is useful information. Not an insight. That Anti -ageing, is not just an issue of fight to preserve your skin and it being a fight to preserve your dignity, your strengths, your quirks, and your personality, and above all to be acknowledged and respected for your achievements & knowledge. That’s could be the beginnings of an insight.
That women are their worst critics. That people dread diets in large part because of their fear of failure and therefore humiliation to themselves and others. That the breadth of social connections online do not satisfy the craving for depth of connections. Those are insights. 
Insights are about more about category than the product or the brands. 
And provide the Depth needed for engagement, to sustain initial engagement with.
 
Step 3. Use Design Principles to develop the UX ; the expression of the idea
Once you’ve got the brand truth and the human truth locked in, start building the ecosystem through which the idea will be expressed. Think of how the idea will be experienced by people, how will they discover it and engage with it, and to what effect. Are you providing an experience of any real significance to them?
Experience Design provides the breadth needed for a full range of meaningful expression. 
 
To sum it all up, it is only when you have the discipline and the habit of going through all the 3 steps (and in that order) that you can truly build a brand of consequence & hope to beat the Cult of the Average.

• Do only Step 1. You might get highly differentiated brand ideas (if the equity is clearly defined). Engagement and sustainability will be limited as will be the ability to drive penetration.
• Only Step 2. You get ideas that are generic to the category. Might get new users in  but brand loyalty, preference will be limited.
• Only Step 3. This is Expression devoid of an idea. It can help you be a better follower, a better participant - but cannot outfit you to lead.