In marketing, we’re taught to double down on strengths and carefully manage weaknesses. But some of the most powerful creative strategies flip that thinking. They don’t hide perceived flaws. They elevate them.
That’s Step 3 in Perrycallan’s Six Unmissable Steps to a Winning Creative Strategy — highlight what makes your brand special.
It’s a deceptively simple instruction, but few brands do it well. Especially when what makes them special might also make them… inconvenient.
Toblerone: chocolate as a verb
Take Toblerone’s latest campaign created by Milan-based agency LePub. The iconic Swiss chocolate bar is famous for its distinctive, triangular shape, but it’s also notoriously awkward to eat.
Most brands would sidestep that reality. Not Toblerone.
Instead, they embraced it. The new spot leans straight into the product’s thick geometry and turns it into a branding asset, not a liability.
Anchored by the idea “Never Square”, the campaign pushes the boundaries of category norms. In fact, it goes a step further. It turns “chocolate” into a verb that only Toblerone can truly own.
Watch the full commercial here:
🎬 Toblerone – Never Square
It’s quirky. Playful. A little bit absurd. But it works because it’s built around something no other chocolate brand can claim. It takes what might once have been an excuse to try something else and turns it into a reason to choose Toblerone.
Guinness: patience as differentiator
This tactic isn’t new. Guinness perfected it.
For years, the brand faced the well-known consumer frustration that a proper pint of Guinness took time to pour. Rather than apologise or race to speed it up, Guinness built a brand idea around that exact delay.
The now-iconic tagline “Good things come to those who wait” turned a service disadvantage into a symbol of quality and anticipation.
One of the campaign’s standout spots can be viewed here:
🎬 Guinness – Surfer
By reframing the wait as part of the experience, Guinness moved from explanation to elevation. They didn’t just solve a problem. They made it a reason to believe.
Advertising the category vs. celebrating the Brand
These campaigns offer a powerful reminder.
If your creative doesn’t amplify what makes your brand special, you might end up reinforcing the category instead. You blend in. You chase trends. And you risk losing the very thing that could set you apart.
At Perrycallan, we believe Step 3, highlighting your difference, is the launchpad for truly breakthrough work. Whether it’s a product quirk, a legacy ritual, or even something others might call a flaw, the right strategic lens can turn it into your brand’s most valuable asset.
📘 Want to uncover and amplify what makes your brand truly different?
Download our free guide — The Six Unmissable Steps to a Winning Creative Strategy
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