Tobe Nwigwe & Building a Distinct Brand in a Crowded Market

Creating a Memorable Visual Identity

Song of The Week: Nas - Pretty Young Girl

Something about this sample and the way it’s flipped. I’ve had this song on repeat pretty much since Nas dropped Magic 3.

With that said, I hope you enjoy this track as much as I do…

Now let’s get into today’s piece!

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Tobe Nwigwe has been steadily building his brand since 2017, when his videos began going viral on social media.

In what can be considered an increasingly crowded market, he’s managed to create a distinct presence.

Think about how hard it is to cut through these days.

Whether you’re a auto brand, snack company, or something in between, the reality is that getting through to consumers is a difficult task.

And, although the competition for attention is fierce, Tobe has built a brand where his fans associate him with values like family, lyrical depth, and mint (more on that later).

That said, y’all know what it is… Let’s talk about Tobe Nwigwe & the pillars of his brand.

Sidenote… Shoutout to our longtime subscriber Abbye for the inspo on this piece!

I. Keep it Cool As Mint…

Implementing Color Theory while forming your overall Vis ID is an old school branding tactic — one that’s still heavily used today.

You hear the effects of color theory often if you’re a marketer or brand steward:

“The gray in our logo lockup represents the _____, while the white carries the emotion of ____”

Think about the most iconic brands & the colors we affiliate with them:

Coca-Cola owns red

Nickelodeon owns orange

Best Buy owns Blue & Yellow

You get the point.

Tobe takes it to another level with his choices. If nothing else, they are more eclectic than the average brand.

Specifically, what makes Tobe’s Vis ID unique is his commitment to color the Mint Green.

Not regular green, MINT. GREEN.

Look at the video below for context, and search any recent image you can find of Tobe and his family.

9 out of 10 times, he’s going to be draped in that mint color.

To reiterate what we all know…

It’s crowded in the market.

Tobe knew that to break through, he couldn’t just be another product on the shelf articulating the same qualities as other brands in the same way they see them.

Across categories this has to be the mindset.

When you go on the store, there’s a sea of products boasting similar colors and product benefits. They all start to blend in, honestly.

So which brand is gonna be brave enough to go against category conventions? Who’s gonna be decidedly lighthearted in a category where everything is serious? Who’s gonna be low brow in a space where the goal is to be the wittiest?

You don’t have to do exactly what Tobe does, but the merits of having a unique vis ID are on full display with him. Take note.

II. Content is king, But so is Execution…

One thing is for sure when you see a Tobe Nwigwe video…

He doesn’t slack on the production aspect. Like at all.

You could walk away hating the song, but I guarantee you’ll watch the video and give him his props.

Look at the video for his song “fye fye”, for instance.

Everyone’s decked out in the signature “mint” color, and the production is A1.

His songs are always dope but a key takeaway for someone who may not be as good is this:

Great execution can overcompensate for a lackluster product.

Think about every viral sensation turned pop artist that we’ve seen as of late.

A common critique is that they lack the development of more established artists (i.e. no stage presence, basic artistry, etc.)

Despite that, how are they still successful?

They put their all into executing on what they can do well.

Maybe they're not the best live performer. Truthfully, most rappers these days just walk around the stage — no background dancers, no stage setup, just vibes.

But for a viral sensation, it often doesn’t matter because the video that drew you in is what lives in your mind forever.

And, let’s be honest…

Marketers are sometimes tasked with promoting subpar brands (you know it’s the truth). 

But what if you could make some really unique content to compensate for that? What if your execution was so next level people had to respect it anyway?

Just something to think about.

III. Become Synonymous With a Day of the Week.

Lastly, when the game gets this crowded, one good way to build an audience is to become synonymous with a day of the week.

The NFL has Sunday

Retailers have Black Friday

Again, you get the gist.

Tobe did the same thing with his #getTwistedSundays series — a series that ultimately led to his popularity in culture.

Eventually, records he dropped like “Try Jesus” became viral moments that social media rallied around, and they became another pivotal piece of his brand story.

Below is one of his #getTwisted videos.

**This was before he and his wife Fat started rocking the signature mint green, but regardless the execution of the creative is next level.

THE REALITY IS…

We can talk tactics all day, but you never really know what action or combination of actions is going to help separate you from the competition.

McDonald’s didn’t plan the Grimace shake trend.

And who knew the pandemic would make TikTok a global force?

Sometimes things just happens that way, and that’s part of the game.

Tobe mentioned in a New York Times article that he never really planned on going viral — a video he made about Breonna Taylor’s murder thrust him into the limelight, and ever since, he’s been making his way as an artist.

He was focused on being distinct, and at that point the stars aligned.

The point here is that you shouldn’t worry too much about the “how” building a distinct brand as much as you should worry about just showing up with your offering as authentically as possible.

People will gravitate to what they want the most, and the rest will take care of itself.

Just start building.

Peace.