Sunday Strategy: Can Advertising Be Too Truthful + More

In this issue of Sunday Strategy, (for everyone else not enjoying Queso dip in Austin at SXSW) we look at advertising's risk to be 'too right' - as well as a digital Marilyn Monroe, a dense tech trends report, Coffin companies fighting daylight savings time and International Women's Day.

// Article of the Week:

When Can There Be Too Much Truth in Advertising

Advances in technology have thrust marketers into a dilemma of truthfulness. We are, as marketers, running the risk of being 'too right' in advertising, where predictive algorithms and AI risk revealing uncomfortable consumer truths.

We consider the evolving challenges in balancing ethical considerations with deep consumer insights, and discuss how advertising can alternately challenge, reinforce, or champion consumers' views of themselves.

Read More Here.

// Additional Links:

• Soul Machines Unveils a Digital Marilyn Monroe at SXSW. Digital clones of celebrities aren't new, but the sophistication of them is rapidly increasing - even if this one still lives firmly in an uncanny valley. The combination of AI technology looks to make this more common, not less, barring massive consumer pushback: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/marilyn-monroe-ai-backlash-digital-marilyn-1235846845/
• Future Today Institute's 2024 Tech Trends. Weighing in at 100s of slides, this is a hefty read. However, for strategists or anyone more widely looking for interesting hollistic investigation of different technological trends, this is a useful resource just launched at SXSW. Read More Here: https://futuretodayinstitute.com/trends/
• The Art of the Error Message. I'm a firm believer in little moments of magic being baked into products and experiences. It won't often make sense from an efficiency perspective, but things like error messages are a great way to bring a brand to life. This article explores great 404 pages on websites. Read More Here: https://www.thesubtext.online/all/the-art-of-the-error-message
• Ryan Reynolds, David Dastmalchian and Titan Casket Fight Daylight Savings Time. If you thought that combination was odd, check out the work. A new campaign from Reynolds' Maximum Effort helps Titan Casket tackle a risk to American health and continues his streak of leveraging disparate culture in advertising. Find Out More Here: https://collider.com/ryan-reynolds-david-dastmalchian-coffin-commercial/
• Collaborative List of the Week: As International Women's Day 2024 was on Friday, I started looking at brands who activated around the day in previous years. A list is forming here and as we add 2024 brands, feel free to contribute your own favourites: https://www.dhirubhai.net/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7170989638315163648/

// Until Next Sunday

As always, let me know what you think by email ([email protected]), website or on LinkedIn.