JHDD Branding Report — 2026.09.27

Granola’s repeated declaration “not for breakfast” across London Underground advertising campaigns challenged typical product associations.

This deliberate subversion of expectation is a common thread running through recent brand launches. Whether it is Bouf for postpartum hair loss, or Mozilla’s editorial platform Nothing Personal, brands are increasingly adopting names and visual identities that bypass conventional category signals. This trend moves beyond simple differentiation; it leverages strategic misdirection or outright incongruity to capture attention and reposition entire categories, cultivating unique brand equity by forcing reconsideration rather than immediate recognition.

Consider Wedge’s brand identity for Bastét toothpaste. The design makes “absolutely no sense for its category,” a direct contradiction of traditional branding wisdom which prioritizes immediate functional clarity, especially for health products. Mainstream industry opinion holds that visual identity systems for everyday necessities must communicate trust, efficacy, and familiarity through established visual cues. Bastét’s approach demonstrates that deliberately eschewing these norms can establish powerful market positioning. By presenting a product that defies visual categorization, Bastét generates intrigue and memorability, distinguishing itself from a crowded market of visually similar offerings. This strategy transforms a mundane purchase into a product of curiosity and aesthetic appeal, shifting the cultural signals associated with oral care.

This phenomenon redefines how brand equity is built. Historically, consistency and adherence to category expectations were seen as foundational for consumer trust. However, brands like Bastét prove that a controlled dose of visual dissonance can deepen engagement and foster a distinct brand personality. Rather than simply serving a functional need, Bastét’s design encourages an aesthetic appreciation, making the brand an active participant in design intelligence. This creates a cultural signal of sophistication and individuality that traditional, straightforward identities often fail to achieve. By early 2028, more established brands will begin to experiment with visual identities that intentionally deviate from their category’s historical cues, seeking to revitalize their market positioning in increasingly saturated landscapes.

The primary resistance to this approach comes from brand custodians and marketing teams heavily invested in established market research methodologies that measure clarity and direct recognition. These internal stakeholders often prioritize immediate, measurable sales lift from conventional messaging over the long-term, less quantifiable benefits of cultural resonance and disruptive brand equity. Their focus on risk mitigation and proven consumer pathways frequently stifles opportunities for creative incongruity.

A branding professional should audit their current client’s category norms this week, specifically identifying visual or verbal codes that have become so ubiquitous they are invisible. Develop alternative identity elements that deliberately break one or two of these codes, focusing on creating intrigue and prompting re-evaluation of the product’s role, rather than ensuring immediate, unambiguous clarity.

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Curated References