Expanding further on your sheep analogie, There's sheep and then there's black sheep. The black sheep is convinced that he is so different than rest of the flock, but in reality he is just different enough to stand out from the crowd and draw attention to himself. 

The thing with data mining is that the exceptions are what draws the most attention in analysis. So in effect trying, or making deliberate steps, not to be seen may just make you more obvious for anyone who cares or has reason to look. As in "Why doesn't he want to be seen? is a much more interesting question than "He doesn't care if he is seen." Kind of like running up high street yelling "Don't look at me!" the effect is that everyone will look. Where as walking calmly would draw little attention. Unless of course the intent is to draw attention to oneself....

So while others may be likened to sheep, don't mistake yourself for a lion just because you feel like you are doing things differently. We live in an age where we all live more similarly each day globally than ever before in human history, but at the same time we pride ourselves on being unique and individual above most other things. Targeted branding knows how to tap into this concept through somehow combining the urge to keep up with the Jones's while still creating association with individuality. Kind of like how some people want to be different, so they go get someone else's art tattooed on their arm just like millions of others are doing. Also just because you choose to keep up with the Smith's instead of the Jones's doesn't make you anymore unique just different.

Talking genetics wise, there are over 1 Billion sheep on the planet and only 23,000 lions left. It seems that size, strength and ferocity may ultimately be beaten, evolution wise, by bleating little white furballs that are on the menu for many other species. Ironic isn't it.