One of the things we often tell our clients is that ‘clarity beats cute and clever every time’. Brand stories must be easy to understand, identify the hero, show how you’ll solve the problem so they succeed.
In St. John’s Newfoundland, the Newfoundland and Labrador Crime Stoppers chapter launched a campaign to start conversations to let residents know that they can anonymously report crime.
They came up with what they thought was a clever, catchy plan. Instead, the posters set off panic among resisidents about safety downtown. Worse, it’s the start of the tourist season visitors had the impression that downtown St. John’s was experiencing a major crime wave.
They say that there is no such thing as bad publicity, but when your story is unclear you leave people trying to figure out what you mean. Your original message is lost and may be causing you more harm than good.
Clarity beats cute and clever every time.
You can read more about the reaction in St. John’s and the impact the campaign has had at: https://www.trurodaily.com/news/regional/crime-stoppers-campaign-in-st-johns-to-continue-amid-backlash-318675/