I am going
to break my self-imposed rule about not talking politics because I think that
there are a couple of politicians that can illustrate some important principles
about how you can enhance the authenticity of your brands. Donald Trump has shattered conventional
wisdom with his high level of authenticity to a broad section of Americans
(despite some fibbing and flip-flopping). Before Trump, who has yet to win any
election, there was a total stunner here in Canada named Naheed Nenshi the
mayor of Calgary. The anti-Trump. Nenshi
could be thought of as the smartest kid in the class, who is also happy to help
you with your homework. He is beloved in that city, proving that the people of
Calgary don’t care if you are bookish, inexperienced and Muslim. They want good
government and a mayor they can trust.
In Build Belief™ workshops we dig through
brands to uncover Belief Assets that are available to a brand but are not being
used effectively. Those same queries can help us understand how politicians
like Trump and Nenshi develop remarkable credibility. Having people believe you
is contextual and nuanced. It comes not just from what you do, but also who you
are and what your motives are - in the eyes of your prospects.
Who are you?
A natural
place to start is the Creation Narrative. Trump’s narrative is of a scrappy,
successful, self-made, entrepreneur. It
has been bolstered by his reality TV show; people believe what they witness for
themselves. His publicized story is crafted to ignore his generational wealth
and privilege and certainly his many business failures.
Nenshi’s is
a story of gratitude and sacrifice. It is an archetypal immigrant story in
which his parents emigrated from Tanzania while his mother was pregnant so he
could be born in Canada. He has remarked, “Had my family been just on the other
side of the lake in Africa we might have arrived as refugees.” He has seemingly
devoted his life to public service in gratitude. That devotion included a Master’s degree in
public policy at Harvard, a stint with McKinsey and consulting for the United
Nations before he decided to run for mayor as an outsider.
What is your motive?
Many brands deliberately
demonstrate shared values with their prospects as a way to convince their
audience that they are worthy of trust and a deeper relationship. Some are
credible (Chick-fil-A is closed on Sundays), some fail (Starbucks wanted to “talk
about race”), many are in the middle (Bell: “let’s talk”). Regardless, people will consciously and
unconsciously sense what the brand’s true motive is.
Trump is the
“true outsider” whose motive is revolution to “make America great again”. What
is critical in supporting his claim is his Belief Asset that he is “paying for
his own campaign and not soliciting donations”. That is apparently how
“entrepreneurs” do it and it allows him a measure of arrogance.
Nenshi’s
motive is service. His archetype is that
of a humble servant leader. It is most evident in his ongoing demonstrations of
respect for his citizens (and others). He oozes respect and it is irresistible.
It allows him to be shockingly frank because he is not haughty. A good example is how he spoke out on Stephen
Harper’s anti-niqab election issue, “This is unbelievably dangerous
stuff...this is disgusting” is how he described it to the media . Clearly not
pulling punches but gaining credibility along the way.
What have you done?
We know that
actions convince people but as marketers we sometimes become obsessed with copy
far past its usefulness. Instead we need
to showcase demonstrations of what our brands are about rather than
explanations. When you message Nenshi, he often messages you back. To which
some respond “what the heck are you doing responding to messages?” To which he
always quips “what is more important than responding to citizens. This IS my
job.” In 2013 when council voted in a 6% pay raise, Nenshi publicly gave $20
000 to charity... and on and on.
Trump’s
great demonstration was, of course, his TV show. To bolster that he points to:
the plane, the hotels and the personal wealth as proof of his leadership acumen
“I always win. I am very smart”. It is anti-intellectual, real world
“intelligence” that he peddles. He is combative in ways rarely seen before. He
will “pay your legal bills” to encourage you “take action”. He acts out his
traditional common sense promise when he chants “get ‘em out!” at speeches and
dissenters are manhandled and tossed out.
It all supports the belief that he is passionately committed to the
mission far beyond the suave political rhetoric of most candidates.
These same
queries and their extensions can be applied to brands for things and services.
Frequently there are Belief Assets that have been overlooked or
under-exploited. Only by asking and exploring are they uncovered, creating the
opportunity to get consumer feedback and potentially be part of communication
that Builds Belief™ and by extension, profitability.
Feel free to add your own insights or
additions in the comments below.
0 comments:
Post a Comment