Sometimes I come across advertising or marketing copy that makes me laugh because it's just so over the top and exaggerated no one could possibly believe it. One of the most important parts of copywriting is honesty and believability. Toyota forgot that rule in a recent email campaign I was unfortunate enough to receive in my inbox today.
In the email advertisement called Dream Wheels Unveiled, Toyota uses copy to promote its 2008 Toyota Land Cruiser that says the following:
LAND CRUISER MAKES ITS DEBUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY
The all-new 2008 Toyota Land Cruiser is the latest addition to an unmatched legacy of excellence. See how far the Land Cruiser has come in its 50 storied years of history, exploration and conquest. You won't believe your eyes.
There are two parts of this copy that stand out as just a bit exaggerated. They are:
- "unmatched legacy of excellence" - Now, I know the Toyota brand is a good one that stands for quality. I own a Toyota, but come on -- "unmatched legacy of excellence"? That seems a bit much. Maybe if this ad were for Rolls Royce I could understand saying "unmatched legacy of excellence" but Toyota? I'm not buying it.
- "50 storied years of history, exploration and conquest" - Maybe it's just me but I don't think of "history, exploration and conquest" when I think of the Toyota brand. This line of copy might work for Hummer (minus the "50 years" part) or I'd even believe it for Jeep, but not for Toyota. I just don't envision any kind of conquest when I think of Toyota.
And this brings me back to my point of making your copy believable. No matter how popular or well known your brand is, communicating a consistent brand image and message is essential, and making that message honest and believable is the first step to building credibility. I laughed when I read that email from Toyota. I certainly didn't believe it.
Can you think of any other ads or marketing pieces from popular brands that used copy that just wasn't believable?
Comment Preview