Which came FIRST?

OK, this distinctiveness or differentiation debate has gone on long enough. They’re both important. Let’s move on.

Next up, which of them comes first?

Like the chicken and the egg.

On this there is some agreement.

Amniotic eggs appeared 340,000,000 years ago.

The first chickens evolved 58,000 years ago.

So the egg wins by a mile.

Unless, of course, you mean a chicken’s egg.

And if so, what do you mean by a chicken’s egg?

One laid by a chicken?

Or one that a chicken hatches from?

So one day long ago, two birds that were almost-but-not-quite chickens mated and laid an egg that hatched the first chicken.

If you’re happy to call that egg a chicken’s egg, then the egg came first.

If you’re not, then the first chicken’s egg had to wait until the first chicken laid it.

Does that help with distinctiveness and differentiation?

Do you create an identity and then build an image?

Or do you decide on an image and then create an identity?

I know which brief I’d rather write. Feelings before fluency (with fame the winner).

But then again identities need to make brands feel different.

And an image needs to be fluently linked to the brand.

Right, I’ve confused myself now.

So one day long ago, a bird called Goldie laid a really cool egg…