Why is most advertising so uninteresting, forgettable and boring?

(I liked this image, no connection to content overall…still like the picture, though)

In a world of gazillion ways to connect with people, innovative tools emerging each and every day and advertising budgets that would make James Cameron smile, why can’t we make advertising fascinating, interesting and engaging?

Because we rather craft a lie than tell the truth.

The job of advertising is to change the perception of a brand and, ultimately, change behavior. In the age of political correctness, we tend to think that crafting a good lie is really all we can do. The car is under-powered? Let’s come up with new metrics that hide that fact. The product is ugly? Group beautiful people around it. Hiding from facts and misrepresenting the truth has become a common practice in the marketing world. Where have the days gone when Avis confronted the fact to be #2 in the category with “We try harder” or when Volkswagen proclaimed “Think Small”?

While it seems so easy to craft beautiful lies, it has become almost impossible to change people’s perception because of those lies. Have you ever changed the behavior of a cynic with lies? They expect lies, nothing else. Just like the people we advertise to expect nothing but lies and crafted half-truths from us.

Political correctness as a societal malady has brought us to a point where telling the truth is the most impactful communication form. Just should try it. It works.