Consider Honesty Marketing. Before You Need To.

Honesty marketing has shown up in many marketer’s playbook lately.  Usually as the cornerstone of a crisis management campaign for an unexpected and unfortunate situation.  Toyota used it because of their faulty brakes. BP needed it because of the biggest environmental disaster in US history.  Domino’s had to turn decreasing sales around and confront customer feedback that their pizza tasted like cardboard. Not fun stuff to deal with and they each definitely needed good PR and fast.

Each one of these companies felt the need to break down walls and connect with their customers in an open, honest way.  In theory, if consumers can identify with your brand on a deeper, more personal level, they will be more receptive to your efforts to make a not-so-great situation better.

I’ve actually enjoyed seeing the messaging for these brands unfold.  When they stripped away the glitz and glam of their marketing mask and spoke instead from the heart of their brands, it was revealing and refreshing.

Toyota and BP responded by developing a campaign of TV spots expressing their presumably genuine feelings and actions towards making a problem right.  They highlighted employee dedication to safety and how significant the clean up efforts have been.   Of course, they did this to counter the negative press.  I know that and so does everyone else.  But the spots also reassured me that they are trying their best and I related to what they were going through, what they were doing about it and why. I do feel better about their brands as a result of seeing them.

Hearing from the head honcho also shows top down dedication to problem resolution.  Domino’s CEO talked openly about the process they went through to make their pizzas taste better.  This included a complete recipe redo, extensive focus groups and taste testing.  Taking it one step further, they will only show real Domino’s pizzas in their commercials, not the ones that are “perfected” by food stylists.  So, with all that, I truly see some significant changes and am willing to give them another try.  If they had just come out with a campaign that said “New and Improved Taste,” I’m not sure I’d even blink.

Here’s the real opportunity:  Honesty marketing is a great way to connect with customers even before a crisis hits. Why should a problem be the conduit to an open line of communication with your consumers?

Building trust is priceless when it comes to setting and delivering on a brand promise.  And the best way for customers to trust your brand is to speak to them openly and honestly.  Sharing your intentions, your goals, your process, and even your culture helps consumers relate to you and believe in your brand.   It makes your brand come alive and sets it apart from others.  And, it is far more comfortable to connect to a brand you trust than a brand out to just “sell you something.”

Honesty marketing can be messaged through mainstream or social media, direct marketing or one-on-one communications. It is a pretty versatile tool you can use to connect and engage your customers.  And more importantly, it is one that can increase long-term customer loyalty.  And honestly, isn’t that what we all want?

If you’d like some other insights on how to use honesty marketing as a part of your overall brand planning and marketing, please contact us.  We’d love to be open and honest with you!

Flickr photo courtesy of Eyeline Imagery