Friday 14 February 2014

The importance of being authentic

A distinctive character and tone of voice are both vital in helping brands stand out from the crowd. But what underpins them both? Authenticity.

The whiff of inauthenticity
Ol’ Hemmingway used to say that every person has an in-built bulls**t detector. We think he was spot on: when it comes to brands, anything that isn’t authentic will be exposed sooner or later. 

'People don't believe I'm human. Weird.'
Just look at the trend for chatty copy. Consumers have been force-fed colloquial greetings and whimsy by every company under the sun. When it works, it works well. Take First Direct. Their stripped back, conversational tone matches the simplified service they offer. And because it’s original with lots of quirkiness, it sounds authentic.