From Oysters to Pizza: 90+ Years of Distinctive Advertising

David Ogilvy is the most famous advertising executive to ever live. But to truly understand Ogilvy's success, we need to first understand the cultural significance of oysters in the United States during the 1930s. Yes, oysters. 

In the 19th century, oysters were a staple of American diets, especially in coastal cities like New York, Baltimore, and Boston. They were inexpensive, abundant, and accessible to all social classes. Oyster bars, street vendors, and saloons serving oysters flourished during this time.

By the early 20th century, overharvesting and environmental changes caused oysters to become less abundant and more expensive, elevating their status to that of a luxury item. Despite this shift, oysters remained widely appreciated, enjoyed not only by the wealthy but also by those willing to roll up their pant legs and wade into the shores of aptly named towns like Oyster Bay, NY. They were recognized as a sophisticated delicacy, cherished across socioeconomic lines. When Prohibition ended in 1933, it ushered in a resurgence of the “oyster bar”—a sophisticated dining experience particularly popular in New York City. Oysters were not universally adored (some referred to them as "sea boogers" and were put off by their briny taste), but they had cemented their reputation as a refined cuisine.

Fast-forward to 1935: Ogilvy, then a lowly 24-year-old copywriter at the Mather & Crowther advertising agency in New York, was handed his first account—an obscure European beer brand attempting to enter the post-Prohibition U.S. market. This was no easy feat. The American beer market was dominated by pale amber lagers like Budweiser and Pabst Blue Ribbon. In this landscape of golden beers, the thick, dark Irish stout for which Ogilvy was responsible stood out as peculiar and potentially unappealing to mainstream consumers.

Determined to understand the brand he was tasked with promoting, Ogilvy traveled to Ireland to spend several weeks at the Guinness brewery in Dublin. Immersing himself in the brand, he studied the brewing process and absorbed its cultural significance in the local community. He discovered that Guinness was not just a beer—it was a symbol of sophistication, a drink revered as a delicacy by people from all walks of life. Ogilvy knew that Guinness would never compete with Budweiser on mass appeal—it was simply too different. But he believed that Guinness could succeed by positioning itself as a sophisticated delicacy, much like oysters.

The most important revelation came when Ogilvy realized that the creamy, robust nature of Guinness paired perfectly with the briny flavor of oysters.

When Ogilvy returned to New York, he transformed this insight into a daring strategy. Instead of masking Guinness’s differences, he leaned into them. If Guinness was an outlier, he decided, it should embrace that status. His first ad for the brand wasn’t about Guinness at all—it was about oysters.

The advertorial-style campaign, titled “The Guinness Guide to Oysters,” featured an elegant chart profiling nine types of oysters, detailing their flavors and origins. Below this sophisticated display sat an image of a dark, frothy pint of Guinness alongside the caption: “All oysters taste their best when washed down with drafts of Guinness.” By linking Guinness with oysters—another polarizing delicacy—Ogilvy positioned the beer as a choice for the discerning palate.

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This strategy exemplified what modern marketers refer to as a “Category Entry Point” (CEP). Rather than attempting to compete directly with amber lagers, Ogilvy connected Guinness with memorable consumption occasions. The message was clear: “When you think of oysters, think of Guinness.”

This campaign laid the foundation for Guinness’s broader branding strategy, which became known for its charm and eccentricity. From the whimsical “Lovely Day for a Guinness” ads featuring toucans and seals to the clever slogan, “Have a Guinness when you’re tired,” Ogilvy crafted a brand identity that was not only distinctive in taste but also in personality. These campaigns didn’t just sell beer; they forged an emotional connection with consumers, making Guinness a brand people wanted to associate with—even if it took some warming up to its taste.

Ogilvy’s early work with Guinness remains a masterclass in distinctive advertising. It teaches us that brands should embrace their uniqueness and aim to come to mind in specific buying situations. This kind of emotionally driven, salience-building advertising is far more effective than simply telling consumers why your product is different or better than the competition.

Be Distinctive, Not Different

The tale of Ogilvy’s Guinness ads conflicts with another axiom that I learned in business school: that brands to differentiate and have unique selling propositions (USPs). USPs are product features or benefits so unique it will drive consumers to pick them over competitors. Most marketers believe this to be true, and so for a long time, we’d always ask clients to list their USPs during the onboarding process. We’ve onboarded hundreds of clients over the last decade, and very few brands are able to provide a solid answer to this question. Most answers are vague and platitudinal. They mention their high quality products, dedicated customer service, or that they deliver more value than the competition. A handful, though, have been pragmatic enough to admit that there’s really nothing that separates them from the competition. This mirrors the findings of Byron Sharp, who claims that most competitors in a category are mere-lookalikes.

Surely, brands needs to stand out from their competition, right? Well, yes and no. According to Les Binet, “Standing out and being different is important for any brand. But don’t confuse saying something different with saying something in a different way. Difference is less important than distinctiveness.”

Differentiation—the act of claiming a unique product attribute—is only useful if people remember it at the right moment. Instead, the real power lies in distinctiveness: creating memorable cues that don’t depend on being unique in substance, but rather in visibility and recognizability.

To become distinctive, a brand must develop distinctive brand assets that can help reinforce memory structures and build brand salience, which increases mental availability and therefore the likelihood of being considered by an in-market consumer.

This concept has been popularized by Jenni Romaniuk, a research professor at the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute. Romaniuk’s work is grounded in psychological and neurological evidence about how our brains store and retrieve memories. She explains that our brains are wired to recognize and recall certain cues—colors, sounds, logos, taglines, and shapes—because they serve as shortcuts in a world filled with endless options. When we see or hear a distinctive brand asset repeatedly in a specific context, our brains build and reinforce a memory structure around it. This process makes it easier to associate that cue with the brand, even if we’re not actively thinking about it.

So, instead of focusing on specific product features or what makes a product different from competitors, Romaniuk argues that brands should focus on creating and consistently using unique visual or auditory cues. Over time, these cues form mental “hooks” in our memory, allowing us to recall a brand almost automatically when we’re in a buying situation. Essentially, she’s saying that brands grow not by standing out with unique claims, but by becoming easy to recognize—everywhere, but especially during critical moments of the buyer’s journey. 

This approach aligns with the principles we’ve discussed: building mental availability and reaching light buyers. Distinctive assets aren’t about claiming that your product alone has the best taste, the most advanced technology, or the fastest results. Instead, they make your brand feel familiar and known. And, as we’ve covered in our exploration of satisficing behavior, consumers are generally looking for the easiest, most recognizable choice—not the one that’s uniquely different in terms of function.

Moreover, a strategy focused on differentiation assumes consumers are paying close enough attention to absorb these details—a rare scenario. In most cases, consumers operate on what Daniel Kahneman has termed System 1 thinking: quick, intuitive decision-making that relies on mental shortcuts. Distinctiveness builds on this natural cognitive preference, giving consumers easy-to-recognize signals they can recall quickly, without deep analysis.

Distinctiveness as the New Competitive Edge

Romaniuk’s argument is that brands need to master the basics of recognizability and consistency before they worry about standing out with unique features. This isn’t to say that product quality or innovation doesn’t matter, but without a set of consistent, recognizable elements, the brand’s value propositions risk getting buried. For example, Coca-Cola’s red and white logo or Nike’s “Just Do It” tagline—these cues instantly trigger recognition and feelings of familiarity. They don’t need to shout, “This is the best drink” or “These are the best shoes”; they simply remind consumers of the brand’s presence in those categories.

In this way, distinctiveness becomes a powerful enabler of mental availability. When brands establish strong, memorable cues, they don’t just aim to stand apart on a functional basis but rather to be recognized instantly in any buying situation. By embedding the brand into the consumer's mind with familiar signals, distinctiveness allows brands to stay top-of-mind without relying on costly or risky differentiation strategies.

Types of Distinctive Brand Assets: Building Recognizability at Any Scale

When we think of distinctive assets, big brands like Coca-Cola or Nike often come to mind. But the beauty of distinctiveness, as Jenni Romaniuk outlines, is that it’s not exclusive to massive brands or iconic taglines. Distinctiveness is accessible, even to smaller brands, because it hinges on the consistent use of recognizable elements—not on the size of the budget.

Romaniuk identifies various types of distinctive assets, each with its own role in building brand memory. Let’s explore a few that any brand can leverage to create their own mental shortcuts with consumers.

1. Color

Color is one of the simplest and most accessible distinctive assets. It’s often the first thing consumers notice, and when used consistently, it can make a brand recognizable across physical and digital spaces. Think of T-Mobile’s iconic Magenta or UPS’s brown—these colors are so tied to their brands that they become mental shortcuts.

For smaller brands, choosing a specific color palette and using it consistently in logos, packaging, ads, and digital presence can be incredibly effective. Even if it’s as simple as choosing a shade that stands out in your category, this consistency reinforces the color as a brand cue, helping customers identify your brand at a glance.

2. Logo and Symbols

Logos are perhaps the most direct distinctive asset, but they don’t have to be complex or globally recognized to be effective. A well-designed logo that’s used consistently can become a powerful brand cue.

For smaller brands, symbols or icons can work well, too. A small coffee roastery, for example, might use a stylized coffee bean as part of its branding across materials. Even if the brand isn’t widely known, over time, consumers start associating this visual with the brand, making it recognizable locally or within niche markets.

3. Taglines and Language Styles

Not every brand needs a globally famous tagline like “Just Do It” to make an impact. A tagline or specific language style that reflects the brand’s personality can serve as a distinctive asset, especially if it resonates with the target audience.

IKEA leans into it’s Swedish lineage in many ways, including the naming conventions of products. You might feel silly discussing the Korken glass jars or the Duktig kitchen playset, but that’s all a part of the experience.

Starbucks doesn’t have employees, they have Partners. Similarly, employees working at the Disney parks are called Cast Members. These naming conventions appear trivial but reinforce the core values and brand experience of each brand, to both the employees and their customers (or, as Disney would call them, their Guests).

4. Shapes and Forms

Shapes can be powerful memory cues, especially when they’re consistently used in product packaging, design, or logos. Toblerone’s triangular chocolate bar, for example, has become iconic.

For brands with limited budgets, consider consistent packaging shapes or container types that consumers come to recognize on the shelf. A local skincare brand, for instance, could use distinctive, eco-friendly glass jars or a unique label shape. This doesn’t just serve functional purposes but also becomes a visual shorthand that reinforces the brand’s identity each time the product is seen.

5. Sounds and Audio Cues

Sound is often overlooked but can be a powerful asset. From jingles to specific audio cues, sounds can trigger brand recall quickly and emotionally.

Smaller brands may not have the budget for a full jingle, but a distinctive voiceover style, sound effect, or even a specific music genre in ads can create audio recognition. The soothing sounds of Dennis Haysbert’s voice has become synonymous with Allstate ads.

6. Patterns and Textures

Patterns and textures, when applied across physical and digital materials, can become subtle but effective brand identifiers. Burberry’s plaid is a classic example, but even a small brand could adopt a unique pattern that aligns with its brand aesthetic.

For example, a small bakery might use a polka-dot pattern on all its packaging and signage. This simple, repeatable design helps make the brand’s look cohesive and recognizable without the need for complex branding efforts.

7. Brand Characters or Mascots

Characters or mascots, like the Pillsbury Doughboy or the Geico Gecko, can be memorable assets that build personality and recognition.

In 2004, the theme park company Six Flags introduced “Mr. Six,” a character who appeared to be an elderly man in a tuxedo, dancing to the Venga Boys, “We Like To Party” in the commercials. That same year, a small appliance store in Levittown, NY hired me to dress up as a bar-be-que chef, stand on top of a truck, and wave to cars driving down Hempstead Turnpike. Both were successful campaigns, proving that you don’t need to be a massive brand to benefit from a distinctive mascot.

8. Slogans for Product Categories or Features

For brands that offer multiple products or services, specific slogans that connect to key offerings can act as distinctive assets. These slogans don’t need to be company-wide taglines; they can simply reinforce particular benefits in an approachable way.

While Nike’s main slogan is the iconic “Just Do It,” they crafted “Engineered to the Exact Specifications of Champions” specifically for their Air Jordan line. As a second example, Apple’s “Shot on iPhone” slogan is a distinctive asset exclusively highlighting the iPhone’s camera capabilities.

9. Product Presentation or Rituals

Some brands become distinctive through unique product presentations or rituals. This could be as simple as how a product is packaged, presented, or served.

A local café, for instance, could make it a ritual to serve every coffee with a small piece of locally made chocolate. This ritual, if consistently followed, becomes a small but memorable aspect of the brand’s identity, building recognition through an experiential asset.

Consistent Brand Cues

The key to making these assets distinctive is consistent use. Romaniuk’s research emphasizes that assets need repeated exposure to become associated with the brand in consumers’ minds. Smaller brands can leverage this by applying their chosen assets across all their touchpoints, from product packaging and social media to email signatures and customer service. Over time, these small, consistent cues create a distinct, recognizable brand identity without requiring the resources of a multinational company.

For smaller brands, the most important takeaway is that distinctiveness isn’t about scale—it’s about making the brand easy to recognize, in the same way, every time. By selecting assets that resonate with their audience and applying them consistently, brands of any size can cultivate strong mental availability, enhancing their chances of being top of mind when consumers make buying decisions.

It’s Toasted!

In the very first episode of Mad Men, we get a front-row seat to the power of distinctiveness over differentiation in advertising. The scene opens in a meeting between Sterling Cooper’s advertising team and their client, Lucky Strike Cigarettes. Lucky Strike’s executives are frustrated. Public concern over the health risks of smoking is growing, and new regulations from the Federal Trade Commission now prevent them from making any health-related claims about their cigarettes. Lucky Strike wants to find a way to differentiate its cigarettes—to make them seem safer or somehow better than the competition’s—but without the ability to make health claims, they’re stumped.

The Lucky Strike leadership team is ready to walk away, having found nothing useful in Sterling Cooper’s pitch. They’re visibly deflated. “Well,” says one executive, trying to save face, “at least we know that if we have this problem, everybody has this problem.” He’s resigned to the idea that their product is identical to everyone else’s and that there’s no way to stand out.

That’s when Don Draper has his epiphany. He leans in, realizing that this restriction could actually be a blessing in disguise. “The Federal Trade Commission has done us a favor,” he says. “We have six identical companies making six identical products. We can say anything we want.”

He then asks the Lucky Strike team to walk him through their manufacturing process. “How do you make your cigarettes?” he asks.

Lee Garner Sr., the owner of Lucky Strike, proudly describes the process: “Well, we breed insect repellent tobacco seeds, plant them in the North Carolina sunshine, grow it, cut it, cure it, toast it—”

And that’s when Draper cuts him off, seizing on a single word: toasted. “There you go!” he says, as he writes the phrase on the chalkboard in big letters: “It’s Toasted.”

The executives exchange skeptical glances. Lee Garner Jr. breaks the silence, “But everybody’s tobacco is toasted.”

“No,” Draper replies smoothly. “Everybody else’s tobacco is poisonous. Lucky Strike’s… is toasted.”

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In that single, clever move, Draper reframes their product not by inventing a unique quality but by drawing attention to an ordinary part of the process, creating a distinctiveness that suggests quality and care without ever making a health claim. The phrase “It’s Toasted” now carries an emotional weight that elevates Lucky Strike’s image, making it feel familiar and approachable. Without comparing Lucky Strike to any other brand, Draper gives them something memorable—a mental hook in the consumer’s mind.

What Draper understands is that people don’t need to know how Lucky Strike cigarettes are different; they just need to remember Lucky Strike itself. The phrase “It’s Toasted” becomes an easy, recognizable cue that sticks, especially in a market of look-alikes where no one else is talking about toasting. While every other brand is trying to highlight product features, Draper’s solution stands out by making Lucky Strike cigarettes feel like the classic, quality choice.

This scene underscores the idea that distinctiveness often outweighs differentiation. Draper wasn’t trying to prove that Lucky Strike was healthier or objectively better; he was trying to make it memorable. Distinctiveness is about finding that one recognizable element, however ordinary, and making it iconic. For Lucky Strike, it was the simple act of toasting, turned into a brand-defining tagline that no one could forget.

Category Entry Points 

We’ve already explored the concept of Category Entry Points (CEPs) and their critical role in making your brand more mentally available. CEPs are the specific cues—situations, needs, or emotions—that prompt a consumer to think about a product category. When a consumer feels hungry, needs midday energy boost, or a ride to the airport, these moments trigger brand associations that influence which options come to mind.

Jenni Romaniuk emphasizes that to strengthen these associations, brands must connect their distinctive assets to as many relevant CEPs as possible. The science behind this is rooted in how our brains build memory structures. Neurological research shows that repeated exposure to certain cues reinforces neural pathways, essentially making these cues "stickier" in our memory. This is why when you see McDonald’s golden arches, it’s not just an abstract logo; it triggers thoughts of fast food, hunger satisfaction, and convenience. 

This linkage goes both ways. If your brain associates the golden arches with a convenient meal, then when you’re in need for a convenient meal, you’re more likely to think of the golden arches.

When a brand’s assets—its colors, logos, slogans, or jingles—are repeatedly linked to specific CEPs, they create shortcuts in the brain. These shortcuts operate as mental triggers, helping consumers recall the brand quickly in the moments when they’re ready to buy. This process is the foundation of mental availability: not just having your brand recognized, but associating it so strongly with buying moments that it becomes the natural choice.

There are theoretically an unlimited number of Category Entry Points for every brand; they are limited only by your creativity. We’ve already concluded that McDonald’s is not just a solution to hunger, generally speaking, but there’s also a CEP opportunity for convenient meals and affordable meals. Some McDonald’s customers exclusively (and habitually) order coffee. Children might associate McDonald’s with the delight of finding a new toy in their Happy Meal. If your local McDonald’s has a play area, they can host your kid’s birthday party. During a road trip, and with no other signs for a public restroom, the golden arches along the side of the highway might present themselves with a different kind of immediate value—and maybe you’ll buy a Diet Coke before you hit the road. In short, there are many ways in which McDonald’s can be thought of as a solution to a consumers’ needs.

Let’s take Uber as a second example. Uber is a ride sharing service, so we might simply think of them as an alternative mode of transportation. However, Romaniuk would argue that they are much more than that. Uber customers might be triggered to think of Uber in many moments, including:

• When they need a ride to or from the airport.
• When they’re on vacation and don’t want to rent a car.
• When public transportation is inconvenient or unavailable.
• When they want to have a few drinks at dinner and don’t want to worry about driving home.
• When they’re traveling to a place where parking might be inconvenient.
• When they would normally walk, but it’s currently raining.
• When they prefer the convenience or luxury of being a passenger.
• If they don’t have a car, or their car is in the shop.

A friend of mine recently bought a new TV that was too big to fit in the trunk of her small car. Delivery was not an option, so she ordered an UberXL to help transport the new TV home safely. Genius! 

It would benefit Uber—or any brand—to uncover as many Category Entry Points as possible and then use distinctive assets to help create associations between their brand and those CEP moments.

Think of it this way: Mental availability helps your brand be the one the buyer is looking for, physical availability ensures your product can be bought, and distinctive assets help buyers find or discover your brand in a sea of lookalike competitors.

Pizza, Pepsi, and the Pursuit of Distinctiveness

Pepsi is a brand known for its willingness to stand out, especially as it competes in the shadow of Coca-Cola. While Coca-Cola leans on universal themes like happiness, sharing, and tradition, Pepsi takes a bolder, trendier approach. Coca-Cola’s campaigns, such as the iconic "Share a Coke" initiative and its nostalgic holiday ads featuring the Coca-Cola truck, aim for broad, timeless appeal. In contrast, Pepsi thrives on being dynamic and edgy, often embedding itself in subcultures and specific interest groups. From dominating major esports gaming tournaments to headlining indie music festivals and partnering with hip-hop artists, Pepsi consistently seeks ways to carve its own lane.

A recent campaign exemplifies Pepsi’s knack for distinctiveness and its ability to leverage category entry points. In September 2024, Pepsi launched a promotion with DoorDash titled “Pepsi Chase Cars,” targeting one of America’s favorite pastimes—ordering pizza. The campaign partnered with major pizza chains, including Little Caesars, Papa John’s, Pizza Hut, and Marco’s Pizza. Customers who ordered Pepsi products through these brands via DoorDash were eligible to receive a free pizza, reinforcing Pepsi’s message that pizza tastes "Better With Pepsi."

Jenni Danzi, Pepsi's Head of Brand Marketing, explained the intent behind the campaign: “We’re more committed than ever to proving that food—especially America’s favorite, pizza—tastes Better With Pepsi. We love pizza and Pepsi together so much that we unleashed a fleet of ridiculously overpowered ‘PEPSI Chase Cars’ to make sure that no pizza is eaten without a Pepsi chaser.”

The campaign gained attention through a humorous series of stunt videos featuring the “PEPSI Chase Cars” in action. In the videos, unsuspecting customers await their pizza deliveries when, out of nowhere, a branded “PEPSI Chase Car” speeds onto the scene. A Pepsi delivery driver jumps out just as the pizza arrives, handing over complimentary bottles of Pepsi to complete the meal. The over-the-top enthusiasm of the Pepsi drivers and the visibly annoyed reactions of pizza delivery drivers added a comedic twist, making the content perfect for both social media and national TV spots.

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The promotion, created in collaboration with BBDO Worldwide, cleverly taps into the universality of pizza delivery—a shared experience among Americans of all backgrounds. Nearly four out of five Americans have pizza delivered to their homes at least a few times per year, making it a perfect opportunity to create salience for Pepsi in a highly relatable context.

Much like Guinness’s pairing with oysters in the 1930s, Pepsi is attempting to establish itself as the essential complement to pizza, a modern culinary staple. While it’s too soon to measure the campaign’s impact at the time of this writing, Pepsi’s creative team deserves recognition for executing a contemporary take on the kind of distinctive advertising that launched David Ogilvy’s career nearly a century ago. By aligning Pepsi with pizza delivery, they’ve not only created a memorable campaign but also reinforced the importance of making a brand top of mind during key consumption moments.