Authenticity Ain’t What You Think

Authenticity is over-rated. Yes, it’s the magic marketing buzzword, but when you watch a McDonald’s commercial, do you think, “Wow, they’re so authentic!” More likely you’re thinking, “One more Big Mac probably won’t kill me.” If the truth is their product is going to harden your arteries, how do they get around that? What do they have instead of authenticity?

Is Nike in the business of selling shoes? Their CEO doesn’t think so. He knows they’re in the business of selling sports perfume… the smell, the sensation, of being an athlete. “If you have a body, you’re an athlete” they say on their About Us page, along with “we expand human potential… by creating groundbreaking sport innovations.” Like t-shits. Since 1997, Nike has spent roughly a billion dollars a year on making people think they’re a part of the sports world.

How do McDonald’s and Nike build brand dominance? Reputation and Style. Consider this: McDonald’s mascot is a clown. A clown making you a greasy burger should be terrifying, but instead they’ve created a world where you’re always a child. It’s bright, it’s fun, it’s irresponsible, and it’s the same no matter which store you enter. What they’re selling is your own childhood. That’s their reputation and style.

Most Branding Tips Are Wrong

There are a lot of misconceptions about branding, even among marketing professionals. “Branding is about logos and consistent colors and fonts.” By itself, these won’t create a brand. “Branding is how your customers think about you.” If that we’re true, Absolut Vodka wouldn’t spend hundred of millions of dollars on music festivals. In reality, branding is a verb. Absolut is creating the link between music and their product. The product is how people feel. Their reputation is everything you associate with Indie rock bands—an irreverent, fun, wild, experience in a bottle.

To create a powerful brand, you have to step back from your product and imagine who you want to be. Nike keeps its corporate headquarters—and marketing team—in the United States; they essentially outsource the manufacturing of shoes to Vietnam and other countries. It’s not just because outsourcing was cheaper; shoes are a secondary product. The real product is brand.

The concept of Brand become less mystically when you realize how closely it’s related to reputation. A marketable reputation takes years to create (though nowadays you can throw money at the problem for a temporary bump). One of the surest ways to build reputation is through association. Absolut associates with music festivals; Nike associates with professional athletes; McDonald’s associates with… clowns? No, movies. And not just movies for kids, like Monster’s Inc., but movies for adults who want to feel like kids, like Star Wars.

Most companies don’t have the budget to hire Michael Jordan as their spokesperson, but that doesn’t mean they can’t build an association with sports or music or movies. These companies chose the most expensive way to associate, by becoming the industries they admired. You can accomplish something similar with style.

Style is the lovechild of strategy, creativity, and risk. Michael Jordan is a real person; style is the abstract re-creation of the thing Michael stands for. Style will make you feel, or think, or aspire.

You’ll notice that authenticity hasn’t come up in any of the examples. Does this mean you should ditch your authentic approach? The personal, revealing glimpse into your business? Heck no. It’s a powerful tool, especially if you’re still building a reputation. But know its place in the world of marketing, and expand your visual toolbox to reach a wider audience. If you’d like a free consultation on how you can use video to enhance your brand, send us a note!

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