Bad marketing: A glimpse in the mirror and a kiss on the rear

By: Bo McDonald

When I look in the mirror in the morning, chances are I see a different person than you do. The same thing happens when you describe your brand. You probably imagine something completely different than what consumers picture.

Tailoring your marketing message to your perception isn’t a great idea. Often, as a marketing firm, when we ask a prospective client to describe their brand it doesn’t match up with what we find by putting the same question to outsiders.

One major issue we come across when working with clients is a request to design a campaign around a false promise.  “We have great service!” Compared to Dick’s Last Resort maybe, but often the service barely meets the minimum standards of what consumers expect from their financial institution.

So what happens when what you see in the mirror doesn’t match up with what consumers see? It can become a marketing nightmare. A flatterer disguised as a marketing or branding consultant who wants to create an idealized self-portrait of your brand is not helping you. I use the word “idealized” because as CEO’s or Business Owners we judge ourselves by our intentions. Consumers use a different litmus test, however. They judge us by our actions.

It’s a simple concept. Brand attraction happens when the consumer looks at your company and they see a reflection of themselves. They are attracted to brands that stand for something they believe in. It’s not rates, service, and products. Your beliefs or a true brand promise that answers “what’s in it for me?” is a good starting point.

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