When a brand says one thing, but does another, our authenticity radars beep wildly and we put up our defenses.
Recognizing trust is essential in building relationships, many brands have worked to appear more authentic. But brands trying, rather than being, authentic, often have the same effect as when brands are blatantly selling themselves. After all,
The best way to sell yourself is to not appear to be selling yourself at all.
It’s a bit of a paradox, isn’t it? Luckily, it’s more simple than it seems:
Your story has to tell the truth about what you do.
One of the most powerful ways to tell the truth about what you do is through personal disclosure. That doesn’t mean telling your darkest secrets. That means telling your story, and the stories of the people you serve.
Wanting to grow awareness about the breadth of the work it does, the Red Cross asked the people it has helped to tell their stories to the world through home made videos. As they told their stories, they became unofficial Red Cross ambassadors, all the while tugging at our heartstrings. By focusing on their stories, the Red Cross was saying,
“Their story is our story, too.”
By blurring the distinction between brand and real people, our duping defense mechanisms were let down and a powerful connection was made. What other campaigns have you seen that entwined the brand’s story so effectively with the people it serves?
Originally posted on Texture Transcribed.
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