Doug provided six reasons for insane honesty, with some great examples.
1. It surprises and delights
One thing honesty does is grabs people’s attention, something which can be difficult to achieve.
Avis’ ads from the ’60s onwards are one such example. In terms of market share, the company was way behind its rival Hertz.
Rather than pretending to be the same as its rival, it made a virtue of its market position, describing how it tried harder as a result.
2. It signals confidence
VW’s sixties ads are a great example. The car was maybe not as pretty as some, but it made this the focus, emphasising other values, such as reliability.
3. It builds trust
Declaring your weak points builds trust as, once people see what you’re prepared to be honest about, then the rest seems more believable.
For example, this ad for a ‘not very nice’ London flat undercut the standard estate agent spiel and cut to the chase
4. It alienates less likely buyers
By not trying to be all things to all people, insanely honest marketers can concentrate their efforts.
See the Hans Brinker Budget Hotel in Amsterdam. It’s rough. It crams people in. It’s basically a place to crash. Its ads play this up.
5. It attracts ideal prospects
Insane honesty acts like a filter and deters people who just wouldn’t be interested anyway.
The Ugli Campus in Wood Lane sn’t the most attractive buildng, and the ads play up to this, emphasising the contrast between the outside and inside.
6. It focuses you on the battles you can win
Removing less likely prospects allows marketers to focus efforts on the business they can win.
As Doug advises, actively seek out your weaknesses and share them openly.
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