Truth In Advertising

A couple years ago, while speaking at the Country Radio Seminar in Nashville, I had a question put to me:

“One of my clients wants to mention God in his ads. You can’t ever mention God in your ads, can you?”

“Why not?” I asked.

He had no answer. Like death, taxes and a mother’s love, it must have been one of those North Star unwavering constants.

The Beliefs In Advertising Checklist

• Do you believe in ___?
• Are you willing to share your values – including your belief in __ – as part of your brand?
• Do your actions match your message? In other words, do you treat your customers and employees in a manner that reflects your values and beliefs? In other other words, you ain’t a hypocrite, are ya, yo?
• Can you build a bridge in your marketing between your belief in ______ and what matters to your potential customer?
• Do you realize, as Patricia Cabot said, that you’re not a hundred dollar bill, and not everyone is going to like you?
• Are you willing to repel, even repulse, a few people to powerfully attract people who share your values?

Congrats, my friend. You have a mighty fine brand. I’d be proud to do business with you – provided I share your beliefs.

If I don’t I won’t … and you should neither care nor miss me or my like-minded friends.

As my mentor, Roy H. Williams, taught me:

We buy what we buy because our choices remind us, and tell the world around us, who we are. Building a brand is easy. All you have to do is mirror the deep convictions most people don’t even realize they have.”

Want an example?

This is an important time of year for all of us at Jansen’s Heating & Air.

Not because winter is coming to an end, and we’re gearing up for air conditioner season.

Not because we’re filling homes with cleaner air and filters and UV lights and helping families with their allergies.

And not because we’re helping people save more than 40% off their energy bills with geothermal energy.

At Jansen’s, this season is – above all – Easter Season – where we celebrate the re-birth of our Lord.

Now, maybe that’s something some folks feel you shouldn’t talk about here on the radio. Some people think it’s a little uncomfortable. After all, we’re in the comfort business.

Maybe we might lose a little business for talking about God.

Well, sometimes doing what you believe in … hurts a little bit.

At Jansen’s Heating and Air, that’s a price we’re willing to pay.

Happy Easter to you and yours from us and ours out here at Comfort Academy at Jansen’s Heating & Air.

That may alienate a few people from ever doing business with Tom and Cindy and their company.

That’s a price they’re willing to pay … because they also know it leads to emails like the one they received yesterday:

Just heard your Easter radio ad. and it was awesome! Kudos for that refreshing and rare commercial that includes the Savior! God Bless your business and Happy Easter!

It’s who they are as people. It’s who they are as a company.

Like it. Don’t like it. Agree with their beliefs. Don’t agree with their beliefs. Do business with them. Don’t do business with them.

You get to choose. That’s the way it’s supposed to work.

You may say advertising isn’t a place for values – whatever those values may be. Maybe you mean values as a whole or maybe you simply mean values that don’t agree with yours.

I may say I’m glad you’re not our client.