Really?
What about “Please advertise responsibly”?
President Donald Trump has apparently asked Pharmaceuticals to indicate the cost of their drugs in the advertisements.
What if we amplified this.
What if every advertiser had to spotlight the negative side effects of their product in their ad?
And no, I don’t mean the hurried “termsandconditionsapply” shpeel tacked on at the end…or even getting someone cool or sexy to distract the audience whilst technically fulfilling the mandate.
Heres a format that advertisers could be asked to use:
- Here’s how our product will ruin your life
- Here’s how much it will cost you
- Here’s why we want you to buy it
- Here’s how it will ruin your life
Of course, this isn’t really about government regulation of industries, or arguments about “freedom of speech”.
Instead it’s a reminder to all of us to be human and to treat one another with respect.
When you create an ad campaign or write a policy or lobby for a specific law, you are attempting to build a relationship with all those who will encounter the thing that you are making.
And when it comes to relationships, being brutally honest up front is the only way to build a healthy relationship that lasts.
Don’t allow yourself to hide the truth behind a massive billboard and really tiny small print.
Instead, hide your offering behind the brutally honest truth.
And if it scares everyone away, go back to the drawing board, and make something you’re not afraid to be brutally honest about.
Image: Gapingvoid