Brands try to pass brand content as advertising and vice versa; in the process, they are often left with bland context. There is a fine line between branded content and advertising. When brands try to pitch branded content as advertising they run the risk of being basic. Research shows that millennials do not respond to ads. The number one reason is authenticity. If the lines of content and advertising are blurring, do you risk becoming basic? CEO Kaaren Whitney-Vernon of Shift2 a millennial-focused ad agency says brands can not put a brand over a shallow narrative in a single, stand-alone piece of content. (2016).
Urban dictionary describes the term basic as:
- an adjective used to describe a person, place, activity involving obscenely obvious behavior, dress, or action
- Unsophisticated
- Transparent motives
Advertising is like the fashion industry. We all want to be that it girl that is always on trend, that we aspire to be, that we look for, but we have no idea how she manages to always be a fashionista. To be a brand fashionista you need to know the rules, so you can break them (Pablo Picasso, n.d.). The rules fall into these four parameters:
Personality
As a brand ask yourself: who are you, are you classic, are you adventurous, are you nurturing? True fashionistas know their personality and do not try to become someone they are not. When brands try too hard to be something they are not they become basic and consumers can see their transparent motive.
Be yourself. What audiences want is authenticity Peter Coughter
Values
Now ask yourself, what does my brand enjoy doing? Fashionistas do not veer off the straight and narrow. They have a clear view of what their values are. If they are modest, you will never catch her in a full-on bustier, unless she is wearing a sheer mesh shirt and a black blazer. Brands should not compromise who they are just to follow the latest social craze.
Make a choice about what’s important and let everything else go – Peter Coughter
Brand/Brand Image
Brands need to ask who am I? What is the brand’s image and how do you feel about your brand? A true fashionista knows who they are, understands how she feels, and knows what she needs to look like to convey that to the world and allows her to break the rules. Brands can break those same rules once they connect who they are with how they look and start to become authentic in their brand’s skin.
To get attention violate a schema – Heath & Heath
Lifestyle
Fashionistas do not own a pair of Birkenstock sandals if it does not fit their lifestyle. They do not own a pair of hiking boots if they do not go hiking. Brand’s should not adopt lifestyles that do not fit their brand persona. How do you identify your brand’s persona? Ask yourself, where do I fit in, in my consumers’ lifestyle? Does your brand have a lifestyle that does not fit its target audience? Ditch it. Fashionistas do not own a piece of clothing they will not wear.
We’re are telling them our truth; that’s our gift to them – Peter Coughter
Fashionistas know that in following these parameters they become credible, authentic, and likable. If Gary Vaynerchuk has taught us anything is to hook rather than jab. Reel the audience in by romancing them, caressing them, tell them a story, tell them your story, share what makes your brand’s heart beat.
Be a Fashionista! Who wants to be basic anyway? – J Zubire
Coughter, P. (2012). The art of the pitch. Persuasion and presentation skills that win big business. Palgrave Mcmillan.
Heath, C & Heath, D. (2007). Made to stick: Why some ideas die and others survive. Random House
Picasso, P. (n.d.). Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist. Retrieved from www.google.com
Urban Dictionary. (2016). Basic. Retrieved from http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Basic
Whitney-Vernon, K. (2016, November 6). How to make sure your brand content isn’t really just an ad. AdWeek. Retrieved from http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/how-make-sure-your-branded-content-isnt-really-just-ad-174455
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