Marketing - more honest than the movies.

The Oscar for best branding in a starring role goes to…

When you hear those words this Sunday night, or something like them for the less glamorous film industry, that is when the real competition kicks in – the acceptance speeches.

The best actors are the best fakers. The Oscar is the ultimate award for frauds.

Will we accept them? Do they pass the sniff test? Mostly, they don’t. The winners are actors. They win because they are able to make other people’s words seem authentic as their own. When they have to come up with their own words, they don’t seem real. Many times when they do sound real, the real person is someone we just don’t like.

I heard a great quote this morning from a movie critic on CBS’ outstanding program, Sunday Morning. When referring to the Oscar acceptance speeches, the critic said something like this, “The acceptance speeches are when the real best acting will be. The winners are those who can sound humble.”

Actors follow a script. If it doesn’t seem real, if they haven’t faked it well enough, they get skewered by critics and fans alike. In an ironic twist, their faking must be believable to succeed.

Marketing is more honest than movies.

Erin McPherson, Chief Content Officer of Maker Studios, recently told the Interactive Advertising Bureau’s Annual Leadership Conference that, “The new authority is authenticity.”

My only suggested edit to her statement is to delete the word “new.” Authority is and always has been authenticity when it comes to brands. People are smart. They can see and feel when a brand is not authentic. They always have been fans of the real thing.

Nothing kills an inauthentic brand faster than great advertising. Trial is induced. Judgments are made. Great marketing kills the greatest frauds… fast.

The Internet world gets too much credit for making brands come clean. People trust online reviews of their peers more than advertising. This is great, except when the online reviews themselves are less than authentic.

Should authentic brands win an Oscar Mayer? The Mark-Ademy Award? The best award is cultivating brand advocates who will help you drive authentic success.

That’s the honest truth.

If you want to have an honest conversation about marketing and branding, send me a note at jhenke@henkeinc.com.

Thanks.