One of the central themes to most discussions with younger business people I work with is clarifying the role of branding, positioning, messaging, and marketing in their business. I don’t blame them for not getting it – we live in a society that has gone from breaking down social structures as a way to identify roles and processes to being educated by movies in high school that teach abstract levels of understanding. At some point, we forget to question whether we know something or not – we assume.

Too many people think that marketing is about coming up with cute slogans that are funny or cute. I suppose this is as a result of the same influence that causes younger persons to forget that you don’t have to go to a place to order takeout – you can actually go to a place called a ‘grocery store’ and buy the individual components, take them home, cook them – and they will resemble exactly what the ‘window licker’  (term from a McDonalds staff person) at McDonald’s (insert any other fast food place name here) may serve you.

And this growing lack of understanding is becoming increasingly apparent in many pieces of creative I see. One example of this came in the form of a direct mail piece from ING (see featured image, click to expand). Recently there has been an influx of posters/images that make use of an old British War poster campaign that says ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ – its something that isn’t protected from copyright so its being used in many ways to promote an ‘attitude’ – I have a friend who has a protective screen with this image on his iPhone.

I’m sure there are many people who realize where this came from and in one way its a harmless reminder of past responses to desperate times. I’m good with that. But what I’m not good with is when somebody uses that and then tries to be cute the way that ING has. It turns the corner from being harmless – to being disgusting. Its almost a mockery of the banking industry – and a slight against customers. Its a cheap way to draw emotional connection to something that has no right in being associated with a banking marketing message for ING ilk.

Poor marketing often tries to be inappropriately cute and often time referential – in the same sleazy way that people name drop. There is a time and a place to draw connection to a past event – but it is seldom done when referencing an event that is sensitive or historically damaging to people – like using a war effort poster to sell banking services.

We need to get back to good old fashioned marketing – we need to tell people who we are, what we do, and why people should do it with us. Sure, I get that we need to assert minor differences when we compete on brand preference. And we need to be creative. I’m with you.

But we live in a time of a highly-informed consumer – and being cheap isn’t going to convert marketing ilk into business.