Authenticity is something that seems to be in short supply these days in our culture. People love to lie and marketers have a lot to do with why lying is so prevalent. Seth Godin, one of my marketing heroes, even has a book called “All Marketers are Liars”.
Authenticity is something that is growing in value in our society because no one seems to have it, especially companies! Frequently when speaking with a potential client about marketing, I start by saying, “if you are not delivering consistently great products, I cant help you.” Marketing for an organization where clients are frequently disappointed in the product is like a dog chasing its tail!
Brand authenticity comes from, “meaning what you say and saying what you mean”. If your brand comes through on its promises over time, you will become to be viewed as authentic. Authenticity is a powerful currency in our day and age and especially with millennials.
However a lack of brand authenticity does not mean you will not succeed, but you may end up being the lowest common denominator. Examples like McDonalds and Walmart show brands that no one really likes but that are successful because of price alone! They excel and being the lowest common denominator.
We should be striving to build brand authenticity everyday through each interaction we have with clients. That authenticity will build over time and help create stark raving fans. And we could all use more stark raving fans.
