too far?

A couple of weeks ago I was reading a very interesting article on Slate.com about a new add for HSBC (you can see it here, and read the article here). The author was somewhat criticizing the add, saying that it was not convincing in spreading its intended message – that HSBC is made for different people, in different circumstances, and they can work with you whenever you need it. Granted, I personally know the bank for doing exactly that, and their former campaigns have worked well at pointing out their company motto. Just walking through the West 4 train station gave me the comfortable feeling that HSBC had, somehow, a human character to it. I’m sure anyone can recognize their “What’s crazy to me is normal to someone else” adds, spread around hundreds of billboards everywhere in the world really. Convincing marketing, to say the least.

This latest clip, however, left me wondering if perhaps they’ve gotten too far into this strategy. Really, the connection is minimal. Yes, I get the metaphor, but I’m not going to lie, it took me a while to figure it out. I’ve also noticed a few similar billboards in Buenos Aires (where I am currently located), and although I recognize the red brackets and the overall “feel,” they’re not that convincing anymore. Which made me think about other companies that seem to have lost track of their initial goal also, or have at least gone too deep into it. I’ll only mention one other commercial, which is currently running on Argentine TV and is for Nextel. You can watch it here, and I’m sure you’ll get what I’m talking about. Yes, the message is simple, king of the city (or world), part of a family, Nextel brings you closer and makes you feel important, BUT, and here comes my but…isn’t a bit too out there? I mean, this is a phone company we’re talking about, not a life coach there to help you out with whatever is bothering you. My personal feeling is that they’ve lost touch a bit with what the company really is, perhaps lost in the need to differentiate themselves from competition.

I keep thinking about it, and I can’t shake the feeling that often times companies either “over do” a campaign past its expiration date, or simply over do it. And when that happens, I think consumers feel a little cheated. Yes, your company might be great, but behind all the fancy commercials and soulful messages, it is still just a company who, in the end, needs consumers to buy stuff. Of course we all need reliable service (e.g. Nextel commercial) and a good bank (HSBC), but once in a while I feel like I’m being pushed too hard. More and more I believe that consumers don’t need to be pushed, they need to be convinced. There are plenty of companies out there who have managed to create a strong brand reputation through strategic advertising, and whether we like it or not, the image of what they project onto our television screens and billboards sticks with us. Mostly, it’s a good thing for both parties involved. But I have seen good campaigns go to waste because people didn’t know where to stop and…move on. A good marketer should know that good things don’t last forever. You experiment, you learn, you adjust, and then you move on to the next great thing. It might be very similar to what you have been doing so far, but novelty always incites. It’s an evolutionary process that will never cease to exist, mostly because our minds evolve, and with them our need for … the cure to boredom I’d say.

So, what should we take from this? My opinion is that progress is the answer. Don’t lose track of your goals just because they’ve gotten outdated. Change something about them. It’s probably a good thing, a sign that it’s time to show the world a different side, just as good as the old one. Now, how often do we forget that, whether we’re talking about marketing or not? I do it pretty often. I’m curious what other people think about this, so go on…drop by with an opinion =)

love from abroad,
-Julia