In today’s world, it’s not enough to build great products or offer stellar services. Customers want a brand story. They want to be engaged. They want an experience, and to be connected to something that matters to them.
This is the reason that you’re increasingly seeing brands get behind various worthy causes. Not only do the causes align with the values of the owners of the company, but they align with the corporate culture of the company in question too.
All that to say, if there’s a cause you care deeply about, getting behind it and spending some money advertising and advocating for that cause is a great way to increase your company’s brand recognition and drive sales, even when that’s not your primary goal.
This ad, developed by the School of Visual Arts for the American Disability Association is a great example of exactly this kind of thinking.
Rather than being displayed on a traditional billboard, the ad was designed to be displayed on an staircase, comparing the steps to Mt. Everest, which is a completely fair comparison for people with disabilities.
True, in this case, the ad was designed for the ADA, but it would have been every bit as effective if it had been developed for Microsoft in a bid to draw attention to Americans with disabilities.
Although a lesson in simplicity, the ad sparked a lively conversation on social media that continues to this day, and that makes it a tremendous success.
The question then, is what causes do you care about? What are you passionate about? If you can find a worthy cause to put your company and brand name behind, you can simultaneously help advance that cause and get additional exposure for your company, which is a win both for you and for the cause you’re supporting.
We can help with that. If you’re struggling to come up with an innovative idea for your next ad campaign, give our office a call at (770) 391-8528 or visit us on the web. We’ll be happy to sit down with you and discuss the possibilities.