So many people nowadays are looking to each other’s work to delegate how they should go about their business. While it’s helpful to be observant with how successful companies brand themselves, it’s not always the best idea to piggyback off their success. To be authentic in today’s society is a matter of life or death for brands according to this research by Marketing Charts.

Since millennials resonate the most with honesty and trustworthiness, are surprised that they would be great at sensing when you’re not being authentic? Sure, your consumers might understand the choices you made to mimic another brand, but they won’t feel good about it. Just like how you won’t feel 100% great about it either because you know deep down that it’s not genuine to your brand’s true voice. Imagine this: you’re at the grocery store and you’re shopping down the aisle. On the most accessible shelf are the main brands and the shelves below are the same product, but made and distributed from the grocery store. There’s something off about them. They’re not as nice, rich and fun. They’re the off brands. You don’t want your brand to be like an off brand. Being labeled as such will always leave an unpleasant taste in your mouth because there will be a level of untruthfulness to your voice. It comes down to the more authentic your brand is, the more trustworthy you will be to your consumers.

Every business knows that you need to stand out from the crowd if you ever want to survive and flourish. Setting yourself apart will bring more attention to your business and that will help keep you from disappearing within the sea of your competition. The Bobby Hotel is a prime example of how being unique makes it easier for them to stand out. The brand is exclusive to the lifestyle and atmosphere you would only find in Nashville. The design aesthetic is riddled with so many quirks and eclecticism that makes them true to themselves–you’ll never stop discovering what Bobby has to offer. From the trumpet-like chandeliers in the lobby to how the employees carry themselves, everything that was created for their brand was designed with a purpose: to be true to Bobby.

If you’re always playing catch up with your competition, how will you ever end up on top? The answer is (surprise, surprise) never. The truth is, you’re always going to feel like you’re one step behind if you’re relying on following the trends of another brand. In order to be a thought and design leader in your field, you need to take risks. Jon Contino, whenever he had to convince clients to take the risk he would always say, “We’re all going to die, so let’s do something awesome”. In the end, playing it safe is okay, but why not take a chance to be true to your brand’s voice and be great.