Get Real: How to Create a Radically Relatable Marketing Campaign

These days, everyone wants to be the next viral phenomenon. They chase this modern-day brass ring of marketing by going to extremes, whether it’s by being quirky, funny, sexy – or all of the above.

And there is no shortage of success stories in this arena to substantiate this desire, from the Old Spice man to Dollar Shave Club. Seemingly, nothing compares to the luster of being the Internet’s most brightly shining star.

But there is another, more meaningful way to stand out from the crowd. Rather than trying to be the loudest, the most outrageous or the most hilarious, be the most real.

Hold up a mirror to your audience. Punch them in the gut with authenticity. Paint a picture that feel so relatable and familiar that they wonder who has been secretly filming their life.

The only way to achieve this level of emotional realism to be one with your tribe. You must know the touchpoints of their lives from the inside out. What keeps them up at night? What preoccupies their thoughts during the day? Which of life’s many minutia do they find most grating? What memories do they hold closest to their hearts?

Here are four such examples of powerfully understated campaigns that speak volumes to their audience:

Cheerios: Nana

We all grew up with Cheerios. We all have strong sense memories tied to consuming those humble little Os.

Mine revolve around summer vacations spent at the lake with my grandparents, eating Cheerios on the back porch (in a Cheerios-branded bowl, nonetheless).

The first time I saw this commercial, it left me gutted and wanting to reach for that wonderful yellow box if only to have the chance to enjoy one more sweet summer breakfast together.

Clorox: Life’s Bleachable Moments

This spot elicits an involuntary visceral response from anyone who knows that all-too-familiar sinking feeling that immediately precedes the act of reaching for the bottle of bleach to address the latest unpleasantness of life.

Volkswagen: Polo Dad

The converse of the bleachable moment, this one tugs at the heartstrings, recognizing all those acts large and small tirelessly performed in service of keeping the ones we love safe and secure in an uncertain world.

Nike: Find Your Greatness

Unlike so many ads in this genre, this spot is not aspirational. It’s not glamorous. It’s not a cinematic tribute to the untouchables among the elite of sport.

But it works. After all, we can’t all be Michael Jordan. We can all get up in the morning and strive to better ourselves.

And when the bookish kid who spent every day of elementary school dreading P.E. class finally crosses the finish line at her first half-marathon, she knows what it means to find your own form of greatness.

A parting shot

It’s possible that none of these spots moved you like they did me. And that’s okay. If they didn’t, they weren’t meant for you.

But for the members of these brands’ tribes, they touch a nerve. And, in doing so, they forge a lasting bond of loyalty to a brand that clearly recognizes and respects the things in life that really matter. After all, it’s not just about selling another bottle of bleach or pair of running shoes. It’s about making life’s icky moments a little less icky, or making it a little bit easier to face that next run in the cold, pre-dawn hours. And who doesn’t want to carry the torch for a brand like that?

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Best of Charlotte Website Design

The fundamentals of good website design are simple and universal: Provide a clean, uncluttered interface that is intuitive for the end user and that works seamlessly with meaningful content to offer an engaging and memorable experience. In reality, however, these seemingly basic principles are all too often overlooked in the development process. Below are five sites from Charlotte, North Carolina, that exemplify what can be achieved when these fundamentals are successfully defended and put into practice. These sites are proof that great design is not the domain solely of corporate giants and glamorous consumer brands but can be attained by companies of all sizes, in all industries and with any budget.

 

Elevation Church

This site offers a clean design that does a good job of providing funnels that quickly direct the user to key areas within the site. Nice features include rotating graphics (that aren't Flash-based, for the record) and a hidden video element that only appears if you are interested. In addition, they have successfully integrated various microsites that handle a live broadcast feature, blog and fundraising campaign. Also noteworthy are the ways in which the site allows those who opt to view the service online opportunities to participate in a traditional churchgoing experience. These include the “connection card” feature that allows users to submit contact information and comments, a function for taking notes on the sermon and a donation module for making a weekly offering online.

 

Leroy Springs

This elegant design captures the spirit of Leroy Springs, a company that has long been known for providing high quality recreation programs and services in the Carolinas. The site is well-organized, and the front page gives the user direct access to information about the company’s many recreational facilities. The attention to detail here is evident right down to the icons. Flash slideshows in each major content area provide an engaging overview of features and service offerings. While the banners could have been created without Flash, the site does allow the user to navigate without the the plug-in, and they provide alerts that something is broken instead of just letting it fail silently.

 

Arts and Science Council

Serving the primary purpose of conveying information about grants, programs, education and more, this site successfully organizes a vast array of details into a format that is manageable and easy to navigate. The detailed footer provides a secondary navigation system that backs up the main navigation if javascript is disabled. The front page is fresh, with a light background that puts the content center stage and bright colors that create an energetic feel. The footer on this page very cleverly and neatly displays a laundry list of corporate partners without creating a cluttered hodgepodge of logos that detracts from the main focus.

 

Noda Arts District

This is an excellent site that effectively captures the flavor of a very eclectic Charlotte neighborhood. Its core purpose is to promote all interests of the community — an objective that it serves well with content that is accurate, up-to-date and relevant. Although I personally am not an advocate of Flash navigation, the developers have also wisely provided a completely functional menu so that those who can’t or don’t use Flash would never know that it was missing.

 

Discovery Place

This is a high-energy site for a high-energy place. Bold blue hues create a dramatic effect and make the banner area highlighting the museum’s main attractions pop. The site uses Flash very well, but it would be advisable to provide an alternative image for the facility map in the event that the plug-in isn't available. The site footer is a nice touch that serves as alternative navigation so the user doesn't have to scroll back to the top in order to continue browsing.

 

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