There’s a significant difference between clever and genuine marketing strategies, and that difference could send your audiences packing.
A recent commercial launched by a fast-food company wanted to show how their salads were made fresh every day. While the brand spokes-person made claims against the misconception that fresh salads had to be served in fancy bowls, she announced her belief in her brand with “Do I believe our salads are made fresh every day? I do.”
This is an example of a clever marketing strategy. The company can’t actually be held accountable for whether or not that’s a true statement. It’s a fictional character saying she believes that their salads are made fresh every day. Now I’m not here to call anyone out on misleading consumers, but I will act as an advocate against that type of marketing strategy.
In the current world we live in where infinite amounts of information and resources are available at our fingertips, there is no room for dishonesty when dealing with your audience. Whatever can be proved dishonest can go public in seconds, and a seemingly innocent statement can become a major public relations headache within days.
Any marketing strategy built on a foundation of quick fixes and fancy wordplay is destined to fail. Risks compound and sooner or later marketing efforts that may have started with good intentions end up crashing down around you.
People respect authenticity over flash. If they feel like they’ve been lied to or cheated, they’ll never come back. Stop looking at what you think your audience wants to see, and start looking at what you honestly have to offer them. If you make delicious (albeit unhealthy) food, show how much people enjoy it. If you design beautiful user-friendly software, let the interface speak for itself.
If you’re looking for prosperity over the long term, stick to showing off the elements of your product or service that has gotten you to where you are today. Being genuine and honest with your audience brings out the human element in your brand. In a world heavily influenced by technological advances, keeping ties with what makes us human is more important than ever, and it starts with how companies interact with their audiences.