Do you remember the moment when the marketing industry chose you?
I do, and I bet you do, too.
For me it was in high school, taking a psychology class. We were discussing perceptions, and how advertisers shape them to help businesses grow. The choice of words, images, tapping into innate desires — even using subliminal techniques. It was fascinating and empowering at the same time. I knew I wanted to find new ways of influencing people, and the boldness of it suited my character.
For me, the job of marketing was a license to be brave on behalf of others. To help them tell their story, inspire them to stand out and ultimately change their business for the better, whatever that business may be. And all the learning I did after that confirmed it. Brave pays off. At 18 years of age, I was quite sure that anyone and everyone would agree. And now three decades later, here’s what I’ve come to believe:
Bravery changes the game.
Marketing has become a game of inches. Scratch that: a game of millimeters. Thin slicing KPIs in the name of ROAS is how marketing is now often judged. The idea of braver marketing calls for a changing of the field altogether, tilting the rules in your favor as everyone else is forced to adapt.
Bravery gets tested (a lot).
Society has tested our views, our beliefs and our willingness to openly share our point of view. There’s more information to consider than ever before, and the stakes have never been as great for being perceived as “right.” The need to be “right” all the time impedes brave thinking and stifles brave actions. There is no greater shame than letting people down.
Bravery walks a thin line.
Our society reveres brave souls as long as everything works out. But those same brave-souled individuals who come up short are more often ridiculed or judged harshly for the effort. Most companies today value conformity over courage. In fact, whenever you see a monotonous stream of dull creative from a brand, you can bet that a culture of fear is in the driver’s seat.
Bravery creates leverage.
Developing a brave campaign takes about the same amount of time as creating a dull campaign does. But the brave campaign pays you back — 6x for the same effort. Same impressions; altogether different impact from them.
Bravery is personal.
Having spent 30+ years in marketing agencies, the last 11 leading my own, I’ve come to remind myself that the bravery I felt as a kid is not to be dismissed or diluted by rational thinking. It has likely been the most authentic version of myself, and it shows up all the time. Like today, when I introduce our new positioning for Truth Collective.
Brand Ever Braver is a call to action for those of us leading brands today.
It’s a rallying cry for the teams who make the work, to push and seek new ways of changing minds.
It’s a daily reminder to myself of who I am, and who I need to be to take care of the people in my life: myself, my family, my staff and my clients who place their trust in us.
It’s in you, too.
If you’d like help finding the braver side of your brand, there is no better partner than Truth Collective, and the brave souls here who show up ready, every day, for you.
