Hit Ears and Hearts Not Buffers

Hit ears and hearts, not buffers.

Want to sound like you mean it? It’s easy to be drawn in by an image, impressed by cost-savings, fame, a name. But polish without substance won’t cut it. You want to hit ears and hearts, not buffers.

Your audience? They’re not daft. They’re thinking, feeling human beings. They know when something’s off. Whether it’s an AI voice without real human experience, or a famous voice that just isn’t aligned with your brand and your values. Neville Longbottom the studio dog (still banned) certainly knows whether the offer of a treat is genuine!

Some years ago, when I was working for the BBC, I facilitated a workshop with the public on taste and decency. The conversations were fascinating! Afterwards, there were drinks and an opportunity to schmooze with senior managers. I’m always happy to chat, but I’m not one for schmoozing. So, I had a couple of brief conversations and then retreated. I could have stayed, oiled the greasy pole, as the saying goes. But it wouldn’t have been me.

So, as I waited in reception for my taxi home, I talked to the security guard. We shared a few things about our day, enjoyed laughter and some silence, too. That mutual human respect was enough, it was comfortable. Neither of us felt the need to perform or impress. And that’s the point.

What happens when you don’t mean it.

When something feels uncomfortable, unnatural, disrespectful even, you switch off, turn off or walk off. But when you feel that alignment, when it’s genuine and the other party’s invested, you feel it. You lean in and listen.

Feeling is everything.

Some campaigns are designed to ruffle feathers, others demand allyship, a walking alongside, a knowing. Both require emotional intelligence, empathy and compassion. Alignment is essential. Because if you don’t feel the values of the brand, if you can’t feel how you’d like the audience to feel, it’ll never sound right. And if it doesn’t sound right? Your audience won’t feel heard, they may even feel you don’t care and that makes them much less likely to value you and what you’re offering.

Want to work with a real empath? This little bird is always happy to help. Here’s a little something that’s been gracing your TV screens.

You’ll find more examples of commercials here, corporates here, and a whole host of other genres here. Let’s chat, human to human and make sure your audience feels the way you’d like them to.

Want some genuine magic in your life? Escape into The Bubbling Toad Stories! Ah yes, Starlings are never idle 😉