Really Authentic

Authenticity is a big topic these days. It normally means we're painfully earnest - think Innocent Drinks meets Opus Dei.

I've always thought that big American brands need to tap into this to overcome Anti-Americanism. McDonalds for example, why on earth do you sell salads? You sell burgers, for Pete's sake. The Liberati may hate you but they never went to McDonalds anyway.

So here's a great example of authenticity. If it didn't have authenticity it would be horrendous. By authenticity I suppose I mean it has an "only we could do this" factor.

Levis have put on their website a series of letters sent in from customers from way back.

This one is great.

But the they also have letters from Cary Grant, Clint Eastwood and Ronald Reagan. How Levis, how American, how authentic. Good work.

PS McDonalds? Take the annoying music of the website. Ta.

Comments

[Will]

I think you are right on.

Authenticity is precisely what so many brands are missing to give them a touch of reality/make them stand out.

Want to sell things effectively?

Prove that you are the most learned/effective/caring business out there and tell a good story.

The advertising can do this for you, but it's easier to get good and then advertise (easier said than done, as ever).

Halifax, SKY, Carling, Sony, Apple, McDonalds, M&S do the former. With a big enough budget, it can be attained.

Innocent, John Lewis, Stella Artois & Arctic Monkeys do the latter. It's much harder.