Escape the ‘Sea of Same’: How to Win the Fight Against Blending In
In Scale-Ups and Enterprise, there’s a silent killer of innovation, the “sea of same.”
It’s the point at which entire industries start to look, sound, and feel indistinguishable from one another. Sleek websites, minimalist logos, tired mission statements, they all start blending into a single, forgettable, bland blur. And if you’re not careful, your brand can sink in it too.
What causes the sea of same?
It usually starts with best practice overload. Brands look to market leaders for inspiration, and before long, everyone is borrowing from the same style guides, stock photo libraries, and brand templates. SaaS companies all use similar pastel gradients and geometric icons. Defence firms lean on light greys and sans serif type. Space tech ventures mimic NASA and SpaceX. Without knowing it, companies drift into sameness in the name of safety.
But the irony is, playing it safe is what makes your brand invisible.
At Hiatus, we work with organisations in complex, high-stakes sectors like defence, space, cybersecurity, and dual-use innovation. These industries face their own pressures: the need for trust, clarity, and compliance. But that doesn’t mean creativity is off the table, in fact, it’s more important than ever.
To stay afloat in the sea of same, here’s what we recommend:
1. Start with strategy, not aesthetics
Design should never be decoration. It should be rooted in what makes your company different, your mission, mindset, and market. If you’re just mimicking what others have done, you're already behind.
2. Dare to say something real
Most websites are packed with vague phrases like “cutting-edge solutions” or “tailored services.” Instead, say something that only your company could say. Use plain language. Speak with clarity. Be bold enough to have a point of view.
3. Design for your operators
Your users are often not marketing people, they’re engineers, mission planners, procurement teams, or frontline operators.
Good design meets them where they are. It should be fast, readable, and stripped of fluff.
4. Don’t be afraid of difference
Brands that stand out often do so because they break one or two conventions, a striking colour, an unexpected tone of voice, or a radically simplified layout. That moment of surprise is what makes people remember you.
5. Refresh regularly
Digital fatigue is real. The internet never stands still. If your website or product design hasn’t been updated in 3–4 years, you might already be fading into the background. Don’t wait for it to become a problem.
The sea of same isn’t just a design issue, it’s a business risk. If your customers can’t tell you apart from the rest, why would they choose you?
At Hiatus, we design for clarity, impact, and difference. If you’re building something important, it deserves to be seen.
