Caspar Mason Senior Creative Strategist Jack Morton Worldwide @Caspar01

“I work in advertising. I don’t live in advertising.”

Sir John Hegarty

I. Why ‘human brands’?

II. The problem with human brands

III. 5 behaviours to avoid

Today…

I. Why ‘human brands’?

1. Be human 2. Be useful 3. Invite participation 4. Be shareable 5. Build community

Human brands = The hunt for

strategic advantage

Source: CS Space

40/50s

Manufacturing

60s

Advertising

90s

The brand

Strategic Advantage in the...

Total brand reputation & experience

Source: CS Space

Now

Every brand touchpoint is

equal

Why ‘human brands’?

II. The problem with human brands

Language is where the rules live

Source: Gill Erault, Linguistic Landscapes

Brands face a paradox:

Source: Gareth Kay, The Human Paradox

The more they try to act human,

the more they risk alienating humans.

A. Brands

trying to be human

Welcome to Uncanny Valley

B. Brands taking the wrong part of humanity

The promise of personalisation

[Nutella named cans]

Technology = Personalisation at scale

Personalisation = Networked big data,

powered by algorithms

Anticipation & Discretion

Anticipation aka knowing when to start

Discretion aka knowing when to stop

III. 5 behaviours to avoid

1. Over-friendly 2. Nosey 3. Indiscreet 4. Clingy 5. Normative

1. Don’t be

over-friendly

The Rush For Human Brands placeholder

Market norms vs

Social norms

Predictably Irrational, Dan Ariely

Takeaway Don’t be over-friendly:

Don’t pretend to be friends

2. Don’t be nosey

71% believe brands with access to their personal data are using it unethically.

Edelman/University of Cambridge, 2016

57% of consumers do not trust an organisation or

business to use their data responsibly.

Whose data is it anyway?, Chartered Institute of Marketers (UK), 2016

68% of marketers are reluctant to share their own

personal data… because they know how brands

will use it.

Whose data is it anyway?, Chartered Institute of Marketers (UK), 2016

The Rush For Human Brands placeholder

“Trust comes on foot but leaves on horseback.”

Johan Thorbecke, 1798 - 1872

[Starbucks hand written name]

Takeaway. Don’t be nosey:

Be extra sensitive when asking for sensitive

personal data

3. Don’t be indiscreet

Networked data, powered by

algorithms, is not good at being discreet.

O2 example

Takeaway Don’t be indiscreet: Know when to STFU

4. Don’t be clingy

O2 example

Takeaway Don’t be clingy:

Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should

5. Don’t be

normative

[Some way of showing the range of humanity. Is there an nice way of showing this? Maybe different-sized feet/shoes? ]

[‘Skin coloured’ plasters on dark skin]

Takeaway Don’t be normative:

don’t assume your reality is the only way it can be

“No snowflake in an avalanche

ever feel it’s responsible.” Stanislaw Jerzy Lec, 1909 - 1966

Be careful of the world you

accidentally create

What brands could be

Thanks. Caspar Mason Senior Creative Strategist Jack Morton Worldwide @Caspar01 Get in touch: experience@jackmorton.com Download the presentation: jackmorton.com/humanbrands