The Power of the Specialist Brand:

When you study the marketing wars, the well-differentiated specialist tends to be the winner.

Here are some thoughts on why the specialist brand appears to make an impression on the mind. First, the specialist can focus on one product, one benefit, and one message. This focus enables the marketer to put a sharp point on the message that quickly drives it into the mind. Domino’s can focus on home delivery. Pizza Hut has to talk about its different pizzas, home delivery, and sit-down service.

Another weapon of the specialist is the ability to be perceived as the expert or the best. If that’s all they do, they must do it very well. Finally, the specialist can become the generic for the category.

Xerox became the generic word for copying. (‘‘Please Xerox that for me.’’) Federal Express became the generic word for overnight delivery. (‘‘I’ll FedEx it to you.’’) Even though the lawyers hate it, making the brand name a generic is the ultimate weapon in the marketing wars. But it’s something only a specialist can do. The generalist can’t become a generic.