Universal fame could instill universal trust.
I see this person on TV. He plays my favorite character or plays for my favorite team. I know him. I like him. We (supposedly) have the same values. I (want to) believe him. He wouldn’t (knowingly) steer me wrong.
Although there was always a little “that’s not my guy” on the fringes, or maybe a newspaper quote raises an eyebrow, and certainly the Cowboys QB wouldn’t be shilling cars in Philly, good spokespeople were universal.
Just like the brands — universal.
Sure, you might be a Chrysler guy, not a Ford guy, or a Coke gal, not a Pepsi gal, but these were broad strokes and massive customer groups. You probably didn’t hate Pepsi as a company because Michael was their spokesperson (fun fact: Michael didn’t like to drink Pepsi).
The script was tried and true. Find a famous person, and they’ll help us build universal trust in our brand.
Today, large brands and universal spokespeople have a dilemma. Universal trust has been replaced by niche trust. Niche-trust follows from defining your ideal person, knowing what they care about, what they stand for, and who matters to them.
Brands include, by excluding.
The choice of spokesperson still helps to build trust but in a different way. Trust is built by taking a stand. This, not that. You, not them. A choice of spokesperson excludes as much as it includes.
Who do we want to push away so our people will trust us?
