“We want our brand to be involved in every aspect of our audiences’ lives,” I was told, with a blunt matter-of-factness that indicated this was the actual mandate, not a wish for a genie. But it was a real task. With the rise of personalized marketing through data, the client didn’t see this as too big a request.
“We want to be like Target,” said the client added.
The challenge, of course, was that the client wasn’t Target, a place where customers voluntarily interact. My client was a hospital, which generally interacts with people at their most vulnerable (and uncomfortable) moments. What they wanted to do was judo-flip the perception – “as a hospital, we can enrich your life through a number of healthy pathways.” Okay, you bet.
If you have Target money, you might be able to get away with this strategy by relentlessly pumping this message into your omnichannel until the public surrenders and accepts it. Since you likely do not have Target’s deep pockets, it would behoove you take a step back from your brand and honestly assess where it falls on your audience’s lives.
In other words, know where your brand falls on your customer’s totem pole.
Odds are, your customers appreciate you well enough, but would rather keep you at arm’s length. Brands aren’t always willing to accept this. Consider the latest TV campaign from Orkin, the residential pest control company. Their creative message appears to be CALL US AND WE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU ALONE.
When it comes to this particular creative concept, I’ve been there, man. What the creative team is attempting to say is that Orkin is such an approachable and friendly company, they become part of your family. Which isn’t weird at all. Clients like this approach because it feeds the idea that people are thinking about their brand 24/7 and want to be good friends with it.
Here’s the thing: nobody thinks about your brand as much as you do. Nobody. Instead of forcing yourself into family households, you’d be more genuine by admitting that your role in peoples’ life is small. You are in the Friend Zone. Be thankful you’re even there.
A more honest approach for Orkin would be to go with a “you won’t even know we were here” angle. After all, I’m not seeking a relationship with my bug man. I just want my bugs gone. Convince me you can do that, and then maybe I’ll have you over for coffee.
Jerem Harper
Chief Instigator
501-747-3973