Is Honesty Important In Advertising?

When the Volkswagon scandal was unearthed recently, the importance of honesty in advertising began to be disputed again.

Consumers are questioning their right to know about the brands that they buy into, while agencies and clients are exploring whether there is a correlation between success and honesty - and its impact on happiness. After all, how harmful can a little white lie be?

Earlier this month, London-based creative and technology agency FEED held a panel discussion to debate the effect of honesty in the industry. Managing director Matt Lynch shares his thoughts on the benefits of working transparently.

‘A lie keeps growing and growing until it’s as plain as the nose on your face.’
(Pinocchio)

Honesty makes work better.

An agency that maintains honesty of craft, retains purpose in its work and ensures transparency across client relationships is sure to succeed and keep succeeding.

It’s a subject we at FEED are deeply interested in.

Honesty has the power to transform organisations for the better but when it’s in short supply, it can change them for the worse.

At FEED, we like immersing ourselves in the subject of honesty, so much so that last month we invited a panel of experts to talk about their experiences of honesty and what value it has brought to their professional lives.

But first. A brief admission: We aren’t always honest. Nobody is.

As a species, the tactical white lie is a fundamental factor in allowing society to function as a whole. We have an inbuilt mechanism to lie. Children start deceiving from as early as six months old and gorillas tend to do the same. But it’s not just humans and animals that lie, even plants – like orchids – lie. Perhaps when it’s used as an evolutionary throwback, designed specifically for self-preservation, it’s ok, even accepted and encouraged.

But in today’s world, as consumers, we strive for transparency (just look at the recent VW scandal for reference). Creativity isn’t a dark art, and as creative folk, we should be demystifying our processes and puncturing the myths of technology and design. But this opportunity has been passed over and agencies have instead warped the reality into a revenue stream, creating complex equations to bamboozle clients into emptying their pockets.

We like to create tools for our clients that solve problems for them. But we don’t charge them for it. We don’t hide how the tools work. We figure it’s part of the service, not an opportunity to squeeze more out of them. We don’t subscribe to the school of business that invents things like having to pay to use the toilets on an airline. This doesn't create a sense of loyalty & trust.

Honesty should be up-front and take centre stage, while work should aim, above all, to be effective. There should be nothing to hide behind, nothing left to interpret or to spin. Does the creativity and technology work or not? Has it achieved the clients’ set goals? Has the customer experience improved? Are people talking about the brand because the work created is actually talking to them?

All these things can be achieved through rigorous honesty.

For us, this attitude has brought about two significant by-products. Firstly, the vast majority of our work is gained not by pitching but by continuous referral. Secondly, we have a 92 percent staff retention.

Honesty is what allows these two things to happen; it breeds loyalty. The loyalty of our clients and very importantly the loyalty of the people that work within our four walls. To retain and nurture our staff, to turn them into skilled and knowledgeable individuals who know our clients and their businesses, and create the stability within the agency that allows us to be a consistent and dependable partner requires undisputed honesty.

But honesty takes bravery, tenacity, and a lot of hard work.

Bullshit builds barriers, honesty starts conversations. Those conversations will take you to incredible places, full of social, moral and economic success. Ultimately, telling the truth isn’t always easy, as we're seemingly programmed to lie.

But try and rewrite the code. You won't look back.