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A Grain of Truth-in-Advertising

Lena Heidel • October 21, 2020

How To Overcome Consumer Skepticism of Advertising

More people believe in conspiracy theories than in advertising. 

Only 4% of people believe the advertising that they see, but anywhere from 25% to 100% of people (depending on the study) believe in 1 or more conspiracy theories.

What does that say about us marketers?!?!? We've got work to do to build trust with our customers.

There are many reasons why people believe in conspiracy theories. One that stands out to me is that there is always a grain of truth in the story. A grain of truth provides just enough reason for people that want to believe in the story. Same thing can be said about advertising claims.

Why Consumers Don’t Trust Marketers

I know how data can be manipulated so that it tells a convincing story. Despite insider knowledge, I fall for just about any skincare product that claims to reduce wrinkles. 

Why am I so gullible? 

There's that grain of truth ... a piece of data that supports the performance benefits that I desperately want to believe are true.  

A satirical example:

80% of women saw a noticeable reduction in facial wrinkles.*

* Based on focus group of 5 women that are spouses of the company’s executives;
agreed to participate in study after receiving free product and a $500 check. 
Your results may vary.

Few people notice the tiny footnote (buried in the product literature insert) that explains the data used to back up the performance claim. Or, the disclaimer that 'your results may vary'. And what the heck does ‘noticeable’ mean? How do you measure that?

Most companies don’t go to the extreme of the example listed above (it is written tongue-in-cheek). But it is based on a grain of truth.

Overcoming Consumer Skepticism

Some marketers will stretch their claims as far as legally possible, out of pressure to drive sales results. And there are manufacturers that creatively interpret performance data or use very limited studies to generate it.

This is why only 4% of consumers trust the advertising that they see. They feel the manipulation. They understand the underlying reasons why manufacturers make such claims. They have been burned before when they use a product and their results varied.

But consumers are willing to give a product a try. At least once.

The moment of truth comes not with the initial sale, but with the percentage of repeat purchases. This should be the metric that all marketers chase for a successful launch.

Claims are critical to a brand’s story. They must be developed with upmost integrity due to liability and false advertising laws that are in place (for good reason).

More importantly, claims must be developed in service to the customer. They make the decision process easier, instilling confidence that you are making the right choice. Performance claims must reflect the actual experience you can achieve in the real world.

A Disciplined Approach to Writing Claims

Strong performance claims can be developed through a disciplined strategic process that addresses critical questions:
  • What are the customer needs that this product fulfills? 
  • Which benefit areas within those needs can the brand own in a unique way?  
  • Do customers really care about those benefit areas? 
  • Are you trying to convince customers to change habits, or switch brands for an existing habit? 
  • What proof points do you need to change the customer’s behavior or decision? 
  • How can you substantiate the proof points?  
The answers to these questions will provide a framework for writing strong claims. It defines what really matters to the consumer in making their decision, what barriers do they need to overcome to make a choice and how does your solution uniquely solve their problem or need.

Using a claims development strategy that is customer-centric and backed by substantial performance results will build trust with your customer. It will help you overcome the skepticism that your customers already have.

A grain of truth may work for conspiracy theorists, but not for marketers. Align your claims with the real experience that your customers will enjoy with your brand.
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