Masterclass in how NOT to engage your potential customers

Here’s a masterclass in how NOT to engage your potential customers.

How NOT to get them to know, like and trust you.

Masterclass in how NOT to engage your potential customers

Let’s start with a positive. 

At least Aviva is trying to use content marketing and social media here to talk to potential customers. Most UK financial services providers aren’t. Most shrug their shoulders at the principles of content marketing and lock themselves in a cupboard with the compliance manager at the mention of social media.

Unlike advertising which tends to interrupt you from something you’re enjoying, content marketing is about creating stuff people might want to read.

Or watch.

Or listen to.

I’m not a fan of complex business speak so here’s my no-nonsense definition of content marketing.

“Making stuff that teaches, entertains, and inspires people to know, like, and trust you enough to do business with you.”

Having done some research on eating habits, Aviva’s put together some fact sheets about how bad take-away food is for us. They say we eat a hell of lot of it.

Fish and chips.

Pizzas.

Curries.

Doner Kebabs.

It seems millennials are the worst culprits for overdosing on crap take-out food.

There’s an infographic for each type of carry out, for example, “Your body after a fish and chips take-away.”

As content goes, it’s good. The message we should all eat healthier and exercise more is one most of us would agree with. And they have put together some useful tips on healthier alternatives.

But have a look at the social media pointing to the content.

Ouch! A bit nanny state?   A tad patronising?

Is it a good way to engage with a potential customer?

What it says to me is, “Hey you naughty millennials. You eat too much rubbish. You might get overweight. We won’t insure you unless you start eating a few more salads.”

It isn’t engaging to make such sweeping generalisations about people based on the year they were born. Let’s talk to real people, not vague socio-economic classifications. Let’s be more human.

Twitter’s already picked up on this campaign.

I know Aviva mean well. And buried beneath the nanny rhetoric, there’s a message humanity as a whole could agree with (yes baby boomers and Gen X as well).

But does this meet the definition of content marketing?

Well, it’s stuff they’ve made. Tick.

Does it teach? Possibly but, for me at least, in an annoying way.

Does it entertain? Well, it’s entertained a good many people on Twitter for the wrong reasons.

Does it inspire? Only if you want to keep Aviva happy, so they won’t rate you when you apply for insurance.

Will it make “millennials” know, like and trust Aviva? I’ll leave you to answer that one.

Now it’s your turn:

What do you think of this campaign? Please leave a comment below or share on social media.

If you have 2 mins, watch my quick video on content marketing.