My social media feed is riddled with mushroom coffee ads.
There’s one brand in particular that serves me the overwhelming number of ads. Obviously, I’m squarely in their demographic. They’re working me hard, but the CCA (cost of customer acquisition) on me is going through the roof. So far, it’s infinite.
Strange, I know, because according to the ads, if I drink just one cup a day, everything is gonna be awesome. I’ll look like a younger, ripped fitness model (I’ll even grow a beard?). I’ll be extremely virile. I’ll be a productivity and energy machine. My mental acuity will be off the charts. Others will notice and flock to me.
There’s nothing new about this approach. Pitchmen have been hyperbolizing pitches since they first started pitching.
But we all know this type of pitch is a race to the bottom. The pitcher doesn’t care about your outcome. They only care about their income.
You’re trading on trust. And when you blow that trust, you’re not just losing a customer. You’re building a cynic. Everyone walks away feeling like a mark.
What if, instead, you treat your audience as partners, not marks?
