Those of you who are practitioners of the arts/branding/communications/media will likely vibe with me on this here thought: in brand marketing, it’s important to distinguish that the notion that “they won’t get it” is drastically different from “we’re not making a point”.
Let me elaborate.
I am of the belief that today’s most purposeful marketing (that which satisfies the near-or-long term “bottom line”) is that finds unique ways/methods to embrace/reference/dance around culture. In a landscape ridden by unorganized noise where it’s always rush hour, paired with unlimited interpretations of pounds and pounds of data, it’s often difficult to navigate where to push, where to pull, and quite frankly, where the hell to rest your hat (this is especially true of national/global brands).
Fear not. (And keep reading after the jump.)
To add some perspective to my earlier comparison, I cringe whenever I hear the term “they won’t get it” when discussing campaign/project creative that is perceived to fall short with the “masses” (as if we’re talking to one, singularly-conscious general market). Not so much because it isn’t true, but because it implies that it’s a bad thing (it isn’t). In fact, the moment the argument is even entertained, I’d argue the authoritative tendency of said brand erodes, even if immediately unnoticeable.
Your product or service isn’t going anywhere (at least I hope not), and neither is its fundamental raison d’être. However, keep in mind that culture is the most ethereal variable in your quest for supremacy. No matter how much we as brand stewards think we do, we don’t “own” culture- no one does. Culture is a free-flowing, evolving/devolving phenomenon that we can, at best, permeate or predict- never fully control.
In my opinion, not making a point is of greater consequence than one’s audience/community/tribe not “getting it”. Because if you’re truly positioned the right way and equipped with an unwavering sense of self (that whole meme of “brands having personalities”), your audience is guaranteed to eventually get “it” because you (and your narrative/creative) will shepherd them there. People know when their intelligence is put on trial. There is nothing more boring or of less impact than a prefabricated, fly-by-night attempt at attention in this era where differentiation is the holy grail. Difficult takes a day, impossible takes a week, and engagement takes a leap of faith in looking passed the LCD (lowest common denominator) to achieve true suspension of disbelief.
suits suck!