We have finally reached a time of life in which consumers are officially tired of empty promises. This is the era of authenticity. This era pokes fun at the old TV infomercials, complains about ‘fake’ Photoshoped models in commercials and they disregard your claim to be the best in business.

This idea came to me while I was watching Deadwood. When photography came about, getting your picture taken was a big deal. People wore their best Sunday outfits for the occasion (thereby displaying a false sense of self in their annual family portraits) which strongly contrasts with today’s ‘selfie’ generation (who do not mind what they are wearing, as long as they can record their every move on Instagram).

Advertising adopted this false portrayment notion since its birth and in the 21^st century, this kind of advertising looks dated. Nowadays people want information, not stories about how fantastic your product or service is. Even better – they want proof of this claim to fame in the form of honest client reviews – this means that you should not delete bad reviews from your website. Consumers know that neither all compliments nor complaints are truthful, but they still seek to find an answer amongst the clutter for themselves.

I find that there are three very easy guidelines to ensuring that you provide an authentic ‘advertisement’ next time you dive into a campaign.

1. Are you providing people a valuable product or service?
   If you provide anything of value, you have a solid foot in the door. Consumers will not likely waste time or money on something which does not give them exactly what they want.
2. Relating to the above question: would you buy this?
   This is a very good way with which to determine the true value of your product or service in aid of its advertising. A key factor here is to place yourself in the potential client’s shoes and speaking to them in the same, non-patronising way you would like advertisers to communicate with you.
3. Does this advertisement tell any lies?
   Illusions count as lies, you know. Do not throw a veil over anything you state in the advertisement; be honest in a way that inspires positive feelings in your potential clients. Balance this out by not focusing on the fact that you might not offer the best prices around – instead, focus on the advantages of your product or service. Give consumers the right kind and amount of information which they need to make their decisions.

It is true that deceptive marketing still looms around every corner, but if you want to be successful and remain so, scrapping the lies is a good idea. The final key to succeeding in the age of authenticity? Deliver instead of promising, because if your product or service cannot speak for itself, you are not authentic.

Sound Idea Digital is a full service digital marketing agency that specialises in content marketing | www.soundidea.co.za | info@soundidea.co.za | @SoundIdeaDMA