The ones that stand out to me are Allison Iraheta and Adam Lambert. The rest of the contestants are still pretty good, but they don’t seem to have an identity or musical style that really grabs me. Allison and Adam have both been consistent in delivering great performances, while staying true to their rockstar identities. They don’t just deliver consistent performances, but there’s some real talent there. From the way they dress, to the way they perform to their vocals, they’ve just got it (IMO). The rest have stories and identities, but I believe that Allison and Adam are a few giant steps ahead of the rest.

Having an interesting identity has also helped Megan Corkrey stay on the show. IMHO, she’s a horrible singer, and rather annoying (but beautiful!), but she has an identity that appeals to the judges, and apparently a few others, as she’s still on the show – so her identity has actually saved her! Michael Sarever – the oilrigger, has a great story and has remained true to his identity, and I think people like that about him. Danny Gokey and Scott Macintyre (from Scottsdale!) both have great stories, but Danny is trying to make the transition from Gospel to Pop Culture and he seems to be sort of stuck in the middle. The rest, to me are rather forgettable (Simon Cowell voice).

Weeding out the remaining 11 contestants will be interesting. I think while the rest of the contestants are trying to figure out who they are, the ones who already know who they are will be on the top and have the advantage.

Think about how this applies to your business. Do you have a memorable identity that appeals to your market? Do you know who you are and is that clear in your communications? If not, I encourage you to start thinking about it. This requires asking yourself some honest questions, brainstorming, and spending some quality time reflecting on who you are.

Be memorable, tell your story. Even if you have a product or service that is common, if you have an appealing identity, you’ll still differentiate yourself. If you’ve got a great product or service AND a solid identity, you’ll be right up there with the winning American Idol (Go Allison!).