The moment I started in direct-response marketing, I was introduced to “weasel words.” These are words or combinations of words that associate brands or products with a specific benefit that may or may not be true all the time. They allow advertisers to lay claims that are sometimes false.
Up to…
As low as…
In as little as…
Often times…
There’s evidence that…
May result in…
Weasel words are the opposite of good brand juju. Weasel words seek to mislead. If you’re using them, do so very carefully, lest you and your brand be labeled as weasels. If you’re using a “teaser,” get in touch with what it feels like to be teased.
An authentic brand makes authentic claims. Merriam Webster defines authentic as: worthy of acceptance or belief as conforming to or based on fact. A fact is a fact all the time.
As marketers we often operate under the horribly inaccurate assumption that if we can just get someone through the door, we’ll then have a chance to tell the whole story. Or if we only show our best side first, our worst side won’t look so bad later. This almost never works.
Effective branding is about the way you make people feel. Walk in your buyer’s shoes. Give very careful consideration to the moment when your customer learns what “up to” actually means. Because this is the moment when you touch your customer. And it can really sting.
