I’ve yet to meet someone who doesn’t like the Ronseal ads. Now, I’m no market researcher, but it does strike me as peculiar that this particular bit of marketing should be so universally loved.
It got me thinking the other day, as I sat in traffic on the way to a meeting, why should this ad appeal in the way that it does? What’s the secret?
I reckon it works because it cuts the crap.
We’ve all become so used to the overblown and exaggerated promises of much advertising that when something comes along and makes a modest claim, like ‘it does exactly what it says on the tin’ we think, hallelujah! finally, a company that isn’t taking me for a ride. It doesn’t use jargon or gobbledegook, there’s no ‘here comes the science’ moment it’s just a simple promise our products do what we say they do. Buy them.
Honesty in a world of charlatans
It’s true, that the genius of the ad lies in great writing, directing and acting particularly the excellent, deadpan delivery of the actors but there must be something else going on to give it such enduring appeal.
What Ronseal promises is simplicity, integrity and honesty. In a world of charlatans, they stand out as decent blokes who only sell stuff you actually need. It’s essential that the truth of the ad is backed up by our experience of the product. I mean, if Ronseal made stuff that didn’t do what it said on the tin, they would really have taken some flack in the press.
It made me ponder about other brands that manage to package their essential truth and put that at the centre of their marketing. Harley Davidson springs to mind. A brand that was almost dead and buried a few years ago, but has enjoyed a massive renaissance thanks to its promise of freedom as symbolised by the open road. Harley ads feature open space, stunning American scenery and a simple message: it’s your destiny to ride this bike.
Unrip-offable
One of the things that’s obvious about straight-talking brands is that they are all almost impossible to rip-off.
They inspire passion in their users, who often feel a strong bond with the brand and feel compelled to defend it from all comers. Fundamentally, great brands start with a great product or service. Joshua Wedgewood didn’t say, let’s start a company called Wedgewood we can decide what we’ll make later.
Apple is another great example of a brand that took its essential truth, that of being the outsider (perceived by many at the time as a weakness by comparison to the almighty Microsoft), and made it the key to its success.
Many people charged with trying to turn around a company in a commodity marketplace like the PC industry would have been tempted to emulate the market leader, but Apple chose to think differently. Steve Jobs knew instinctively that what made Apple unique was its underdog status something he was able to use as a rallying cry to create fiercely loyal customers and some truly outstanding advertising. The classic Apple ad campaign, here’s to the crazy ones works because it rings true for the brand. We believe it is devoted to the outsiders, the rebels, the mad fools who make this world a better place, and we want to be part of that. It appeals to the idealist, the rebel and the true believer in all of us we may not be able to change the world, but we can buy an Apple and feel that on some level we’re still keeping it real.
The implications for B2B
Selling your obvious traits works equally well in the world of business. Nikon is the brand of choice for photo-journalists, particularly those in war zones. Why? Simple really: when there’s sniper fire all around you, you’re running down the street and you need to get a shot and get the hell out of there, you don’t want to worry about your camera. Nikon cameras take a pounding and are as tough as the people who use them. The company has carefully cultivated its preferential brand status with professionals by celebrating them in its marketing, trade shows and very clever DM.
And the granddaddy of all authentic brands? Yes friends, it’s that B2B giant Big Blue. IBM stands for quality in a way that few other brands can. The old adage, no one ever got fired for hiring IBM is as true today as it was in the past, maybe more so as technology continues to become ever more crucial to business success. IBM says it’s time to look beyond conventional wisdom, and as a company that constantly reinvents itself, it manages to live its promise and achieves credibility by staying on top of its own game.
So if you want to build a great brand, don’t be tempted to spend a fortune on celebrity endorsements or go looking for inspiration outside your company. Start by asking yourself what’s true, unusual and worthwhile about your business and put that at the centre of your brand. It may take a while to have the confidence to keep it simple, but when you do, you’ll succeed beyond your wildest dreams.
