The original

Many years ago, I interviewed a well-known Detroit rapper. About seven minutes into the conversation, I heard something strange. The voice on the other end of the phone had changed. This new “voice” was more playful, with less bass than the original.

For whatever reason, the original subject had switched places with an impostor. I tried to confirm that I was still speaking with the same person, and the artist/impostor stood his ground.

The impostor simply carried on like usual, but I couldn’t shake the strange feeling that I had been played.

After the interview, I mentioned the switch to my editor. We both thought it best not to run the story.

The whole thing might have been an inside joke. 

I’m not sure. 

Yet.

I was able to notice the difference between the original artist and the impostor for one simple reason: the original had a known and distinct style that it’s almost pointless to copy him.

In marketing terms, he had a brand.

You have a brand if people can easily tell other people what makes your product, delivery mechanism or brand personality different from the competition. Sometimes, it’s tricky to put a finger on it, but you still know it when you see it. 

If another brand decided to imitate your brand, would your customers notice?