In both B2B and B2C, trust and familiarity now define the buying journey - 81% of consumers won’t buy from a brand they don’t trust, and 90% of B2B buyers choose the vendor they had in mind before even starting their research. This session delves into how marketing leaders can harness brand distinctiveness—not just traditional differentiation—as a powerful lever for growth, buyer influence, and long-term competitive advantage. Join us and uncover how distinctive branding fuels faster decision-making, why emotional alignment matters more than ever, and how modern tools like AI can amplify brand impact without losing authenticity. Key session takeaways: - Understand the crucial difference between brand distinction and differentiation—and why most brand-building should focus on broad distinctiveness, not niche differentiation. - Learn how to uncover pain points and trial barriers in saturated markets to unlock whitespace through product and non-product brand levers. - Discover how brand reduces acquisition costs and boosts retention by shaping and accelerating the full buying journey. - Explore how aligning brand with customer pain and aspiration keeps your messaging relevant and emotionally resonant. - Gain clarity on integrating AI into brand strategy while staying true to your brand’s core values and leading from the outside in.