We know that with the holidays and vacations coming up, you're busy at work. That's why we're coming up with the next installment of our newsletter. Make yourself a good cup of coffee and take a few minutes away from your work duties in our Bystro!
Shots of romantic movies with a couple kissing in the rain. The "team player" column on a resume. Valentine's Day chocolates. Middle-aged man in a sports car. Diet pills from January commercials. A political party fighting corruption. These are all clichés, or unoriginal expressions and ideas. We've picked out a few examples where clichés are becoming a stigma in marketing.
More than just a slogan
We've already devoted a whole Bystro to slogans and taglines, but they have their place among marketing clichés and there are certainly plenty to choose from. There are a few popular phrases that can be implemented to all names and industries. For example, favorites include "from A-Z" or the most used phrase "More than just". This is the easiest way to make a claim without having to pay a creative agency to do it. In some cases we get it, you're selling ice cream made with honest ingredients and it's "more than just ice cream" in your mind. You offer parts for all vehicles, so you're using the slogan "more than just car parts". But could someone please explain to us what we mean by "more than just a hospital"?
Logo under the roof
Very few companies manage to come up with such a good logo at the beginning of their business that they don't have to rebrand. Even the most famous giants like Apple or Nike have changed their logos during their expansion, and they have done well. But what could be the cliché in the logo category? Our art director Tomas is clear, it's "construction companies and a logo with a roof". At first glance it makes sense, a construction company putting a roof over your head. On the other hand, building a house is more than just a roof. It almost seems like a how-to for a construction company logo: draw a roof, put the company name underneath, and embellish it with a combination of red and black (probably brick and concrete).
We do everything and for everyone
We can handle everything in our industry, we have our own products, but we can also handle customized solutions. Our customers are small, medium and large companies. Most companies have a great need to tell their customers that they can do everything. But the result is a kind of marketing eintopf. We recommend that you set out your USP's (unique selling points). These show you what you are best at, what your advantage is over your competitors, who your MAIN target audience is and then you try to reach them. Be specific and speak the language of your clientele.
"It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in copying."
Try to think of any advertisement for feminine hygiene products, i.e. pads. You will surely think of a spot that looks clean, fresh, with happy and smiling girls. There's a demonstration of an insert that absorbs blue fluid. Yes, the famous blue liquid that we only really see on pads in commercials. Most women will tell you that this is not what their days look like.
BodyForm decided to break this cliché and started 10 years ago. Their spots are definitely different. They avoid the classic lie of "our insert will make you feel great and make you ride your bike with a smile". In reality, you feel sick and annoyed by every breath your partner takes. Aside from the fact that the company managed to get a blood-colored liquid into the ad, their 2017 spot also featured a man buying inserts.
Our client, our master
Finally, we will add one more video, which probably does not need more commentary. We hope that after watching it you will remember at least one meeting that had a lot in common with the attached sketch. Yes, we think even such situations are clichés.
At Pen&Production, we have originality and creativity as one of our main values. Whether it's a claim, a new logo or a complete rebranding, we always try to come up with something original without compromising our client's values. Our goal is to not do clichés. Don't be part of cliché marketing, get in touch and we'll be happy to think about how to elevate your brand with originality.
