what can donald trump & bernie sanders teach brands about being honest?
TRANSCRIPT
thetruthmadesimple.com
WHAT THE DONALD + THE BERN
CAN TEACH BRANDS ABOUT BEING HONEST
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FIRST OF ALL, WE’RE NOT EXACTLY CURING CANCER.
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“Chess is as elaborate a waste of human intelligence as you can find outside an advertising agency.”
—Raymond Chandler, British-American author
AND NO ONE SEEMS TO TRUST US
Nurses
Pharmacists
Medical Doctors
High School Teachers
Police Officers
Clergy
Accountants
Journalists
Bankers
Lawyers
Real Estate Agents
Business Executives
Stockbrokers
Advertising Practitioners
Car Salespeople
Telemarketers
Members of Congress
Lobbyists
20 40 60 80
788810
1317
2021
2527
3945
5660
6768
85
Please tell me how you would rate the honesty and ethical standards of people in these different fields—very high, high, average, low or very low?
% Very high/High
Most Trusted Professions (Gallup, 2015)
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BUT…
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WE’RE STILL BETTER THAN POLITICIANS!
(Two percentage points counts for something, right?)
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SO WHAT DO DONALD & BERNIE HAVE TO DO WITH BEING HONEST?
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BEING HONEST {OR BEING PERCEIVED AS HONEST}
WINS
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AND WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH BRANDING?
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WE NO LONGER TRUST BIG INSTITUTIONSConfidence in Institutions (Gallup, 1975-2015)
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
1975 2015
The Military
Organized ReligionMedical SystemSupreme CourtPublic SchoolsBanksNewspapersBig Business
Congress
I’m going to read you a list of institutions in American society. Please tell me how much confidence you have in each one—a great deal, quite a lot, some or very little?
% Great deal/Quite a lot
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Most Trusted Content Sources (Edelman Trust Barometer, 2015)
My friends and family
An academic expert
Companies I use
A journalist
Employees of a company
A company CEO
A well-known online personality
Elected officials
Celebrities
Brands I don't use
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
WE TRUST REAL PEOPLE
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#TRUTHBOMB “Institutions have historically kept iron-fisted control over what they communicate, and it shows. They communicate to further their agenda, on their timeline, in ways that are often glossy, airbrushed and convenient. Human communications aren’t as tidy. They involve a willingness to talk about the hard stuff, the ugly stuff. Acknowledge a mistake you made and what you’re doing to make it better. They imply being available to talk—at 2 a.m., if someone desperately needs you right then. People demand the same from how brands tell their stories today—transparency, a willingness to engage on their terms and timeline, acknowledging flaws, and putting forth a plan to improve.”
—Human Era Brand Study, Hill Holliday & Lippincott, 2012
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HONESTY CAN BE A SIMPLE, EFFECTIVE, HUMAN
BRAND STRATEGY
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FOUR WAYS TO GET REAL
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IF YOUR PRODUCT SUCKS ADMIT YOU’RE WRONG, AND THEN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT
1
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IF YOUR PRODUCT IS AWESOME PUT YOUR PRODUCT WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS
2
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IF YOUR PRODUCT ISN’T FOR EVERYONE UN-SELL IT TO THE PEOPLE WHO WON’T LIKE IT ANYWAY
3
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IF YOUR PRODUCT ISN’T FOR EVERYONE UN-SELL IT TO THE PEOPLE WHO WON’T LIKE IT ANYWAY
3
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IF YOUR PRODUCT IS IN A DISHONEST CATEGORY EMBRACE IMPERFECTION
4
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IF YOUR PRODUCT IS IN A DISHONEST CATEGORY EMBRACE IMPERFECTION 4
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WHY IT WORKS
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HONESTY BUILDS TRUST, AND TRUST SELLS
Chose to buy products/servicesRecommended them to a friend/colleague
Shared positive opinions onlineDefended company
Paid moreBought shares
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
Refused to buy products/servicesCriticized companies
Shared negative opinionsDisagreed with others
Paid more than wantedSold shares
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
Behavior Propensity for Trusted Companies (Edelman, 2016)
Behavior Propensity for Distrusted Companies (Edelman, 2016)
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IN CLOSING, LET’S HELP OUR CLIENTS…
BE BETTER BE MORE HONEST BE LIKE DONALD* AND BERNIE
*MINUS THE RACISM, SEXISM & XENOPHOBIA