by Jarvis Cromwell
Marketers have been handed their biggest opportunity in years. With public distrust – and in some cases disgust – in big brands and companies, the perception that customers, employees, regulators and others have right now is this:
“Big companies are not in it for me.”
So what happens when you show customers otherwise – demonstrating that you place them above other goals? Crank up the cash register, that’s what. How you signal your brand intent is more powerful than kryptonite right now.
To see the power of this idea in action, take a look at the video below. Titled “Embrace Life” it’s a brilliant public information campaign on seat belt safety that ran only in the local area of Sussex England. But then it went viral. In just a few weeks it’s been seen in 129 countries, and rated in the top five videos on YouTube with 6 million views and climbing. There’s no dialogue, the language is universal.
It might even make you cry. Why? Because it reminds us what we care about. Us. As the famed New York Times editor Ted Bernstein once said, “eternally basic is how people live.”
Marketers like to talk about building an emotional connection with the audience. To sustain a connection that matters, one that really “connects” to your company or brand – your intentions not only have to ring true, they have measure up to your actions and the customer’s experience.
