Murray Magic shows that it pays to be yourself
Andy Murray may have suffered a crushing sporting defeat at Wimbledon yesterday, but it was a victory for his personal reputation.
Poor Andy has been criticised for years for being truculent and uninterested, but his tearful, lump-in-your-throat post-match speech live on TV sparked an overflow of genuine warmth for the 25-year-old that had never been seen before. Where he could have been facing headlines of “HERE WE GO AGAIN” or “BRIT FAILS AT FINAL HURDLE SHOCKER”, instead Andy will have woken up to thanks and praise from most of the national media. Even Tiger Woods gave the lad a thumbs up on Twitter.
It just shows how important it is to be true to yourself in communications.
I know that sounds clichéd and better suited to a wedding speech, but I can’t think of a better way to put it. Sometimes the temptation when marketing your services is to ask “what do our consumers want to hear?” – when in fact we should be concentrating on saying whatever we want to say, and saying it well. Saying it so well, in fact, with such conviction, style and creativity that your message connects because of you, not in spite of you.
That’s what happened yesterday – Andy’s connection to the British public was forged because he couldn’t help but be himself. He really wanted to win Wimbledon, and he really enjoys the British support. That is indisputable now.
Another fine example of this is the way Coca Cola chooses to advertise. I’m a self-confessed fan but that’s because I connect with the way Coke stays true to its values: of fun, of freshness, of uplifting, spirited togetherness. It’s corny but it’s brilliant – everything about Coca Cola’s advertising smacks of those core values, from the use of music to the tone of their adverts. I never feel like they’re trying to con me – it’s a neat trick.
Another more corporate example would be Marks & Spencer – it’s safe, middle-aged and maybe a little bit cheeky; but it’s never, ever, anything but. I can imagine that was the tone Michael Marks was getting at when he opened his first bazaar in Leeds in 1884 and said “Don’t ask the price, it’s a penny”.
Can’t you claim this is true of any business and its marketing? Isn’t that the point, to root your message in your brand values? Well, maybe not. And this is not a forensic analysis by any means. In fact, to an extent, it’s a gut feeling – but you know what I mean, don’t you? When you read an article, watch an advert on TV or just hear someone talk? You always know when you feel there’s something missing.
Andy’s success is a lesson to us all. Be yourself, have faith in why you’re here, and you too could wake up tomorrow with thanks and praise from the nation.