Distinctive BAT

Sit. Stay. Don't get arrested...

In 1978, the Advertising Council embarked on a mission to combat crime, entrusting Dancer Fitzgerald Sample (now Saatchi & Saatchi) with the task. This collaboration birthed McGruff the Crime Dog, an iconic brand character managed today by the National Crime Prevention Council.

McGruff garnered over 50% reach among American adults in his first year, utilising TV, OOH, comics, and live appearances to encourage citizens to "Take A Bite Out Of Crime." From participating in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade to making appearances on Capitol Hill, McGruff has been embedded across a wide array of touchpoints.

In an ironic twist, John Morales, an actor who once portrayed McGruff was arrested in 2011 for speeding, with police and drug-sniffing dogs discovering 1,000 ma*****na plants, 27 weapons (including a gr***de launcher), and 9,000 rounds of ammunition in his home. McGruff, the crime-fighting character, was busted by drug-sniffing dogs.

McGruff remains a prime example of the versatility of characters as Distinctive Brand Assets, applicable across different categories, markets, and objectives. There’s a lesson here too in the dangers of aligning your brand with real people, celebrities or endorsers. You never know when they might be packing a gr***de launcher.

🐊 This crocodile doesn’t hibernate.

Lacoste opened a Le Café Lacoste pop up in Cortina d’Ampezzo as part of its Winter Olympics presence and in promotion of their Olympic Heritage Cortina d’Ampezzo 1956 capsule collection.

What immediately catches the eye however are the consistent nods to the crocodile the brand is so well known for. In one of the world’s most controlled marketing arenas, Lacoste shows up authentically by anchoring around its most recognisable Distinctive Brand Asset.

Sephora is a brand that doesn’t miss a beat at Christmas. Their signature black-and-white stripes show up everywhere — holiday windows, festive pop-ups, even public transport. If there’s a surface to decorate, they’ll put a stripe on it.

It’s a masterclass in staying loyal to a core DBA when many brands are tempted to deviate for the season. That unwavering visual consistency means shoppers recognise Sephora in an instant, in any market, even in the busiest holiday rush.

Here are some of our favourite Sephora holiday activations from around the world.

Holiday storefronts offer more than just seasonal sparkle; they’re prime real estate for reinforcing Distinctive Brand Assets.

As the high street fills with Santas, many brands blend into a blur of red, green and glitter. In this sea of seasonal sameness, retailers risk becoming unrecognisable.

When done right holiday décor shouldn’t dilute a brand, it should reinforce it.

Chanel illustrates this well - past holiday displays borrow from seasonal cues, but are grounded firmly in its own brand assets: oversized black bows, pearl strands, a strict monochrome palette, and the unmistakable double C. These elements turn a temporary display into a repetition of the brand’s most recognisable memory structures.