What makes good, authentic marketing, and why is it so effective?
Good authentic marketing is all about taking a stand on a subject. This public view means more now, more than ever, as politics, laws, your style and opinions matter more to buyers than in any other generation.
Yes, take a stand, and make sure its honest. But, you do not have to go to risky areas. Use your voice…maybe you stand for humor in dark times…maybe you stand for creativity and creators…maybe you stand for sensitivity, or family.
The more you’re able to stand up and connect with an audience that’s feeling increasingly isolated, the better you’ll do. Having ‘everyone as a customer’ does not exist.
So, you need to tell your story and show your values BETTER THAN YOU’VE EVER DONE BEFORE.
What Does Taking a Stand Look Like?
A great example of an authentic video was The Dollar Shave Club. With their intro video, Dollar Shave Club established itself as an honest company worthy of your trust.
Better yet, the humor in their introductory video established them as a real entity. The Dollar Shave Club showed a personable character that their viewers related to and liked. It was for men, as they only had one product…so, they went all out and spoke to them:
Authenticity is about showing your customers that you can understand and solve their pain in a way that aligns with their values.
Learn to Tell Stories that make money
Authentic Marketing is Character Driven
Authenticity in your brand videos needs to be many things.
- To create authentic content, you need to…Be clear on your values
- Be transparent with your cash flow
- Be honest about your day-to-day operations
- Be responsive to your customers
- Hire ethical team members
- And more.
Yet, more than anything, you need to become an entity that your customers can interact with and feel comfortable around. In 2018, the Edelman Earned Brand report stated that 64% of consumers are belief-driven. If a brand’s stance on controversial issues lines up with a consumer’s beliefs, they are more likely to buy from that brand.
Think about Ben & Jerry’s and Nike’s stances in the recent push for racial equality. Then think about Gillette’s bid to combat toxic masculinity with their viral short film “The Best a Man Can Be.”
Finally, consider Patagonia’s ongoing donations to nature conservation programs. Your company needs to present itself as a character with real opinions in every public relations setting. Become an “individual” to be authentic and relatable.
Why Does Your Content Matter?
Warning: Don't Try to Beat the B.S. Meter
Even Google knows when you’re lying. Sounds creepy, we know. Still, Google knows when you’ve copied material or when your story doesn’t match up with the rest of your site. Google states that duplicate content is often used to artificially inflate the search rankings of sites that consumers don’t want to see.
Google then describes how pages on the internet are cross-referenced against each other and penalized if crawling algorithms find duplicate content. Your customers do the same thing. If they notice that you’re stealing information from other sources, or if your content is repetitive and aimless, then they will stop following your company. The modern consumer has a B.S. meter that’s stronger than ever.
A common misconception is that truth in marketing is only about being honest about features and specifications. Staying truthful in your marketing is also about telling stories that are truthful to what your company embodies.
A great way to tell authentic stories is to gather real credible reviews from your customers.
We can set them up to speak, and remotely direct and record for…You, or we, can mail them a video kit like this to gather raw stories and emotions. The authentic reactions of your customers will reflect well on your company’s persona.
Who Will You Choose to Be?
Does Authentic Marketing Matter?
It always has.
In fact, you’ll notice that our examples are several years old even though we’re talking about authenticity during a pandemic and possible recession. More and more people are experiencing isolation and job insecurity.
So, making a genuine connection is more important than ever. If you would like us to help you take a stand, reach out. Your authentic marketing story starts here.
OUR MISSION:
INSPIRE YOUR AUDIENCE
TO TAKE ACTION
