Deacon Blue is one lucky lobster. A fisherman snagged him off the cost of Prince Edward Island, thinking he had accidentally caught a beer can in his trap. Imagine his surprise when old Deacon Blue waved a claw at him. Blue lobsters are rare, and this pretty boy is enjoying life in the restaurant aquarium instead of heading for a dinner plate like his plain companions.
Reading the story today, I couldn’t help but be struck by how people value the different, the unique, to the point that they wish to save it, preserve it and display it. Think about. This guy was a hefty, juicy lobster. I haven’t eaten lobster in ages, but I remember it as being quite expensive. Surely the fisherman could have used the money.
Instead, Deacon Blue’s life is spared because he is unique.
Here’s what Professor Deacon Blue has to teach us about marketing: make sure you stand out from the crowd. Be unique, be different. Don’t be afraid to be a blue lobster. Instead of ending up in the stew pot along with every other person trying to sell the same thing, hopefully you’ll get the positive attention you need to attract customers and turn them into buyers and loyal fans.
This is the key to personal branding and company branding. Let your uniqueness shine. Celebrate what makes you different. Like a blue lobster, you’ll stand out from the crowd.
Updated May 2023 with new content and images.
Jeanne Grunert, president of Seven Oaks Consulting, is an award-winning direct and digital marketer with over 20 years of senior marketing leadership experience. She’s passionate about mentoring marketing managers and providing exceptional content marketing programs and services to Seven Oaks clients. Jeanne holds an M.S. (awarded with distinction) in Direct and Interactive Marketing from New York University and frequently lectures on content marketing, search engine optimization, and project management techniques.J