The advertising principle of promoting a ‘unique selling
proposition’ (USP) (Reeves, 1961) is a reflection of this
theory. Advertising that does not give buyers a reason to
buy that brand is not thought to be effective. Recently
however, others have challenged this orthodoxy arguing
that advertising can work effectively without a USP, or
means of persuasion (e.g. Ehrenberg et al., 2002).
The “differentiation or die” type assertions