Watching the World Cup this week, I couldn’t help noticing one thing.
Pink cleats.
Everywhere.
At first, I assumed there had to be a reason. A FIFA initiative. A charity campaign. Maybe every team had agreed to wear them.
Not even close.
It turns out nearly every major boot manufacturer reached the same conclusion: bright pink is impossible to miss. Against a green pitch, it jumps off the screen. That’s good news if your business depends on millions of people noticing your product for 90 minutes.
From a marketing perspective, it makes perfect sense.
Color has always been one of the quickest ways to capture attention. Before we read a headline or recognize a logo, our brains are already reacting to color. There’s a reason certain industries gravitate toward certain palettes.
What I didn’t expect was the unintended consequence.
When every brand decided pink was the way to stand out, they all started looking… pretty much the same.
It made me wonder how often we do that in marketing.
A competitor tries something that works. Another follows. Then another. Before long, everyone’s website, messaging, social posts, or branding starts to blend together. What began as a way to be different becomes the new standard.
There’s nothing wrong with following a trend. Sometimes it’s exactly the right move.
But every once in a while, it’s worth stepping back and asking a different question.
Not, “How do we stand out?”
Instead, “What does everyone else already look like?”
Sometimes the biggest opportunity isn’t being louder.
It’s being different enough that people notice.