Dentsu media agency Carat has unveiled a new brand positioning called "Difference Engineered," which is intended to distinguish the agency from competitors and emphasize helping clients build stronger, more distinctive brands. 

The rebranding follows a strong year for Carat, including being named 2026 Media Network of the Year at the Cannes Lions Festival. Earlier this year it appointed Chrissie Hanson as North America Media Practice CEO and Global Brand President. 

Carat argues that today's media industry has become very good at using automation and data to make advertising more efficient, but that many brands are ending up with similar-looking media strategies. The agency calls this the "difference deficit"—the idea that brands are becoming less distinctive even as media buying becomes more sophisticated. 

In response Carat says it will focus on identifying where clients can stand out from competitors and then use data, technology, creativity and human expertise to build that differentiation into media planning, campaign execution and performance measurement. 

The agency also says it wants to give clients more transparency and flexibility over the technology and data used to make media decisions, rather than relying on closed, proprietary systems. 

The announcement also introduces a refreshed visual identity centered on an updated version of Carat's "C" logo, designed to symbolize finding new opportunities from different perspectives.