I am a Billboard watcher. I’m not talking about the Billboard Top 100. I’m talking about advertising billboards (that appear to be multiplying faster than rabbits out there).

Here’s why I watch them. I’m looking for how brands message themselves – and how they attempt to connect with the people viewing them.

Most do a dismal job (as is evidenced by the high turnover of advertisers on billboards).

What happens with billboard ROI is not much different than digital Marketing spend, social media marketing or even strategic account management and sales.

If a brand is not crystal clear on its cause, it’s why and it’s who, it will consistently deliver sub-par messaging to the marketplace that gets mediocre results. 

Take for example a recent billboard I saw driving east on Interstate 90 in the NW Chicago suburbs. I’ve mocked up the billboard here for you (because frankly attempting to take a good picture while driving 74 miles an hour would put my life insurance policy into play a bit prematurely).

What is this brand trying to communicate?

• We’re cool?
• We’re funny?
• We’re “outside the box” compared to other boring dermatology providers?
• We’re risk takers?

Maybe. But is it effective in getting the result? (A customer walking in the door).

Here’s what this brand is definitely NOT communicating.

• We know you (our target market of women age 28-55). The tagline screams that.
• We understand your needs, wants, desires and fears. (Especially your fear of being exposed or embarrassed)
• We are empathetic to your insecurities. (Especially your insecurity of being naked in front of a stranger)
• We would never laugh at you. (Even though we want to laugh at the idea of you being naked here)

Am I overthinking this? I don’t think I am.

Messaging Matters and Messaging that is disconnected from a brand’s core values, ethos and cause must be considered a failure. More importantly, messaging that doesn’t root itself in a deep study of the target audience leaves advertising agencies to run with dopey ideas that sound good in a pitch meeting but send a very poor message in the marketplace.

Messaging is the currency of marketing and sales teams. I would argue that messaging is the currency of the entire organization. It impacts recruiting, training, people development, culture and results. But we’ll save that discussion for another time. Let’s get back to our marketing and sales team.

Give them the wrong currency and they cannot get you the results you want. No different than trying to use Mexican Pesos at the Chanel store in Dubai. The person at the counter is going to look you right in they eyes and say “sorry this doesn’t work here”.

It’s what a lot of potential customers are saying about brands that are spending a lot of money trying to engage with them.

Here are some things to consider as part of a messaging audit you can conduct on your organization.

1. What is our cause as an organization? Is it a high and lofty calling that goes beyond making $? Does our calling find itself in our messaging today?
2. What is our why? Why do we do what we do? Does that come across in what our salespeople say in their intro emails, product presentations and closing pitches? Is marketing messaging woven in the fabric of brand authenticity – or are our marketing pieces basically a bunch of corporate/product speak that nobody cares about?
3. Who is our target? Does our messaging clearly demonstrate to them that we know them deeply? Or are we like the dermatology group that is trying to be cute – but quite possibly missing the mark? You can dive a bit deeper into this exercise with this short video from a recent talk I did.
4. Is our messaging (not just sales and marketing messaging, but all outbound corporate communications) engaging enough that prospective customers and strategic accounts tell us it is benefiting them?

If you come out of this simple audit with flying colors, you’re in a small minority. When most organizations are situationally aware enough to honestly and accurately assess the current state, it has usually been a (long) while since messaging has been aligned to company cause, our why, our who etc.

Invest the time to do it. Go back to the drawing board and start all over with your messaging platform if you have to.

You’ll be glad you did!