Standing out is a mantra among advertisers and marketers. And with all the clutter in the marketplace it’s easy to understand why. Consumers are bombarded with way more advertising messages than they can process. They’re everywhere, from TV and radio to the Internet, to outdoor advertising. And they’re coming from more brands than ever before.

In this atmosphere, differentiation is absolutely essential to any brand’s survival. But that doesn’t mean your ad has to be crazy or clever to be effective. Those approaches can work. But it can be a double-edged sword. The more your ad stands out from its environment, the easier it is for people to filter it out. They know immediately, “That’s an ad, so I can pass over it.”

Sometimes it’s better to do the opposite. Advertorials in magazines, product placement in television programs and official-looking direct mail packages work because they capitalize on what consumers are paying attention to. For example, if they’re reading articles in a magazine, an ad that looks like an article has a good chance of getting their attention.

And with everybody else trying to stand out, blending in could be what makes your ad different and attention getting.