Daring to be Distinct – Arrow Electronic, Ben & Jerry’s, Kind Snacks

How do you ‘Dare to be Distinct’ as a Generic Electronic Parts Manufacturer, or as an ice cream maker or a snack maker?  

Drew Neisser talks about the imperative for CMOs to ‘dare to be distinct’ both in B2B & B2C categories .

He cites an example of B2B brand Arrow Electronics, which is a giant warehouse with a million electronic parts selling these parts to all kinds of customers. Drew Neisser says that on the face of it what can be more generic than a seller of electronic parts. 

However Arrow Electronics ‘dared to be distinct’. They did so not by talking about the parts but what what you could do with them.

They used Arrow’s fabulous parts & engineering skills to design a car that enabled a race driver who had become paraplegic to race again.

Engineers at Arrow Electronics modified a Chevrolet Corvette to create a smart, connected vehicle that the paraplegic driver could operate operate safely and independently using head controls and voice commands.

The objective of Arrow Car project, fundamentally, is to enable drivers with physical disabilities to experience the mobility and independence of driving again by leveraging the power of technology. The software and technology that Arrow developed for the car is open to the developer and engineering communities, and it has promising broader applications for independent living.

Similarly Drew talks about how Ben & Jerry’s & KIND Snacks UK dared to be distinct by harnessing purpose. 

Ben & Jerry’s, not only makes great ice cream, but has also championed causes. It has taken a stance on nearly every major social issue of the last three decades, ranging from same-sex marriage to criminal justice reform and from fair trade to campaign finance. Recently it championed the cause of helping migrants ,allowing asylum seekers to work, championing #blacklivesmatter etc. 

Similarly Kind Snacks is not just about a healthy snack but also inspiring kindness. 

KIND’s purpose is embodied by letting people reward others they see displaying acts of kindness with free bars via a dedicated website, and asking consumers to pick which causes and individuals epitomizing this ethos receive funds from the brand

Listen to conversation between Drew Neisser and Jasravee Kaur Chandra focusing on ‘Best Practices for Chief Marketing Officers & B2B Branding’