Put a Stake in the Ground
So long fair-weathered brand friends, the days of being wishy-washy are over and they could not have arrived a moment sooner. Being pandered to has been nice but now, I want you to give it to me straight. What kind of brand are you?
We’ve had companies telling us that they’re different, not normal, just like us but if we lined up their “About Us” side-by-side, I’d be hard-pressed to know who’s who. Ben Schott has named this phenomenon “blanding,”
But what makes a brand a bland is duality: claiming simultaneously to be unique in product, groundbreaking in purpose, and singular in delivery, while slavishly obeying an identikit formula of business model, look and feel, and tone of voice.
Ditch the ambiguous language and say what you mean. Product descriptions are starting to feel like horoscopes - it’s as if they’re reading my mind, Yes! I do want a life-changing [insert product here], but also doesn’t everyone, regardless of the month they were born? What will this product do for me? Why should I care? Make me feel special like I’m the only girl in the world. If you can do that I’ll pledge my loyalty to you. Go one step further and invite me to your friends-only party, a community of others who think like me, and I’ll never leave you. In fact, the power of community is so strong that as long as everyone’s having a good time, I’m locked in. You know, nothing says ROI like customer LTV.
And while we’re here, you mentioned inclusivity, sustainability, and a social cause that you support. I love that! But are you keeping your promises? On inclusivity, a picture is worth a thousand words (or likes). Use your aspirational photography to show me the variety of incredible lives fellow consumers are living thanks to your [insert product here]. The importance of representation should not be lost on you. I’m looking at your team on LinkedIn too by the way, will I like what I see?
On sustainability, please be specific. Is it your production process, your packaging, do you have a cool idea for reusing your containers? I understand that working towards peak environmental friendliness is a process and I’m excited to be along for your journey. But in the meantime, tell the truth. Sending me cardboard boxes within cardboard boxes and suggesting I reuse them does not make your packaging sustainable. Show me that you’re doing your best on this one, even if it affects your bottom line. Spoiler alert: if we don’t work on our global environmental issues, your bottom line won’t matter.
On social impact, thank you for shining visibility on a cause that I should know about. As a consumer, I feel better about my purchases knowing that they in some way help support a community, an organization, and real people. Now that I’m a supporter of this cause, show me how we’re helping! I want to see the effect that we’re having, and if I can do more. Use your soapbox to tell me the story and please, please, please, don’t make this a one-time thing. If you’re down for the cause, let’s make some real strides.
I’ll leave you with one final thought from Dr.Seuss, who I think sums it up nicely,
Be who you are and say what you mean because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind!