In the cluttered space of marketing buzzwords, there is one that is driving me nut: “better”. Did you notice that the big advertising agencies, the same guys that manage a bunch of different clients, are just copying + pasting the word “better” in lot of different payoffs? It really seems Creative Directors are running short of creativity.
Check out for Dell latest ad: “Better Technology Is Better Business”. Is that true? I doubt it. Technology infrastructure and solutions can help enterprise to enable new business model, differentiate from competitors, and become more efficient. But technology itself does not create a “better” business. Look at Technogym. Their claim is: “Let’s Move For A Better World”. Exercise is good, no doubt. Being fit and healthy helps you to manage stress and therefore be nicer and more friendly. But moving itself does not make the world better: I don’t need to make here a long list of bad people that are both very fit and very dangerous. Last example: Levi’s. “Denim Style and Winter Warmth: Better Together”. Really? I live in Singapore, and the only thing that is good with my jeans is a t-shirt, anything else would be worse.
I understand where all this is coming from. People (= customers) are asking companies to proactively address a widespread set of issues from environmental sustainability to income inequality, from transparency in employee and customer relationships to community engagement.
Advertising agencies are linking these genuine desires to their client activities, no matter what. Couple this with the widespread lack of creativity (or the challenge of being original and authentic) and you see the result.
The truth is that the world “better” encompasses much more than what exemplified in these advertising claims. “Better” creates a vision for tomorrow, a vision based on mindful leaders that are community servant, obsessed with creating meaningful value for all the stakeholders their are interacting with, and driving human-centered, sustainable innovation.
Marketers’ first responsibility is to build an authentic brand and culture aligned to company values. Words are essential to that purpose. But words have meanings. Don’t play with it. Don’t leave it just to agencies and creative directors. Don’t copy and paste. You are much better than that.
