How brands can stand out in a crowded industry

In this feature I regularly talk to restaurant CMOs and get their perspective on what is going on in the industry each month. This month I decided that I wanted to share my own perspective and share some thoughts I had while in Chicago at the NRA Show in May.

I have always been fascinated by the power of brands and the impact they have on our everyday lives and our lifestyle decisions. Brands influence everything around us and shape the way we act in noticeable and unnoticeable ways. We are bombarded with messages all day, brand names, advertising, product placement — so what makes a brand stand out? And how can you make your restaurant brand stand out in a sea of competitors?

Some restaurant brands do it more creatively than others. They touch our souls, make us laugh, give us a story to tell — they inspire us.  How many times has someone said to you, “Did you see that commercial,” or “Look at that billboard.” Some of the best restaurant brands use creativity to help create a big impact for a small cost.

You don’t have to have a fancy ad agency from New York City working for your restaurant or be a creative director. For those of us lucky enough to be marketers, it’s our job to be creative, and creative ideas can sometimes be quite simple and easy to execute.

I am fortunate that my boss, Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers’ founder and chief executive Todd Graves, not only allows but encourages me to be creative. In fact, Todd feels that everyone should be free to think big. However, I am always aware that as marketers we are responsible for being creative while having a purpose and connecting to the brand.

While walking around the restaurant show, I realized that creativity is all around us. From listening to a speech from my boyhood hero Magic Johnson, to finding that new product on the show floor, or enjoying award-winning dishes at MenuMasters — creative ideas can come at any time and in many ways.

Sometimes we have to generate our own creative environment.  When I have been in a less supportive environment for creativity, I have created a space that inspires me. Anyone can make a space of their own, even with restrictions. Post vacation photos, favorite food photos, ads torn from magazines that caught your attention, toys on your desk — whatever it takes to inspire you to think beyond a drab office or uninspired cubicle.

Creativity is what separates a brand from the rest of the pack. As marketers, we must always be creative, strategic, courageous and inspired.

My favorite quote about creativity comes from the late Steve Jobs:

“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it; they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things.”

Creativity comes from a collection of experiences. You must always be open and always be looking to allow yourself to take in these experiences. One of the best tools we all have for inspiration is our phones. I take photos of everything that interests me, from orange trucks to bathroom signs, to textures of wall coverings. I am not always sure how the inspirations will take form, but I am able to capture and come back to them later.

What inspires you? How can you apply that? As you collect your experiences, you will have more to draw from. Inspiration is all around you and I challenge you to constantly seek inspiration and make it your own. Your restaurant and brand will benefit from it.

Clay Dover is chief marketing officer for Raising Cane’s and a board member of the National Restaurant Association’s Marketing Executives Group.