Sea of Sameness Strategy

A strategy for identifying business opportunities by finding product categories where all competitors look the same, then creating differentiated brands. Based on insights from successful entrepreneurs.

Core Concept of "Sea of Sameness"

• Look for product categories where everything looks identical on store shelves
• Identify aisles where there's no visual differentiation between products
• Target categories that are stale and haven't seen innovation
• Focus on spaces where brands aren't taking creative risks

Examples of Successful Implementation

• Method Soap
  • Found soap aisle full of green bottles that looked identical
  • Created different bottle design in blue
  • Used clean ingredients as differentiator
• Welly Bandages
  • Traditional bandages all tried to match skin tone
  • Realized no one's skin actually matched the color
  • Created standout designs, positioned cuts as "badges of honor"
• Ollie Vitamins
  • Traditional vitamins labeled with scientific names (Vitamin D, B12)
  • Reframed products around benefits ("Better Sleep", "Better Hair")
  • Used different jar designs and packaging

Current Opportunity Example: Pickles

• Market characteristics:
  • Americans eat 20 billion pickles annually
  • Average person eats 9 pounds per year
  • New jar purchased every 53 days
  • Crowded market but no dominant players
  • All packaging looks the same
  • Little creativity or innovation in category

Strategy Implementation Tips

• Walk store aisles looking for categories lacking differentiation
• Question why products all look/function the same way
• Look for opportunities to reframe product benefits
• Focus on categories with high consumption but low brand loyalty
• Find spaces where design and creativity are lacking
• Target products that are frequently purchased but rarely innovated