Peas and carrots make for great marketing
Do you tell the truth? That sounds like a loaded question, huh. But when it comes to your brand and marketing, it should be a simple one.
I’m all about finding the ‘human truth’ in your product. It's when you find the little gems of truth that make your marketing really connect with your audience and help you get a little bit closer to their perspective, as opposed to yours.
The greatest ideas are based on real truths for that reason.
Which brings me to this clever little LinkedIn post from NZ Police (a weird choice in platform for them I would think but that's for another day).
Why do I think this is worth sharing?
Because it uses the truth.
When it comes to advertising the truth is one of the most powerful tools in your pocket. You can't argue with it, which is a pretty great leg to stand on as a brand.
Like how this post literally shows you what you'll be eating for Christmas if you have a warrant out. It simply uses the truth, but in doing so sparks a visceral reaction of not wanting that to be your Christmas meal.
How can you find the truth in your own marketing? Sit down and ask yourself "what's the truest thing I can say about this product/ brand right now?"
It can feel like an anti-marketing exercise because often the truth sounds a bit boring.
It's far from the flashy, "here's why we're the best" style messages you'd usually find in a marketing brief.
It might even make you wonder why anyone would care about your brand/product.
But here’s the thing - making people care is the job of your marketing, and you can only do that once you've gotten to the truth you're trying to communicate.
Here are some other examples of using the truth as a starting point for something epic:
Brother's integrated campaign admitting their printer is just a printer (and yes, it’s one of my recent campaigns concocted along with Craig Parker of Wave Agency)
Nike's branded inspo for women in sports that stems from the truth of the BS they have to deal with.
This lil cutie from Coffee Supreme that uses the truth that instant will never be as good as espresso.
The truth is good. Use it.
