Polished isn't performing. The era of the million-dollar TV spot as the centerpiece of a campaign is fading. In its place? Raw, real, and relatable content that feels human.
Consumers are savvy. They know when they are being sold to. The hyper-curated aesthetic of the 2010s Instagram era has given way to "photo dumps," unedited vlogs, and behind-the-scenes chaos. Brands that embrace their flaws and show the human side are winning hearts (and wallets).
Employee-Generated Content (EGC)
Your best influencers are already on your payroll. Brands like Duolingo and Ryanair proved that letting social media managers run wild—often breaking traditional brand guidelines—creates massive engagement. It humanizes the corporation.
Key Takeaway
Don't just show the product; show the people making it. Show the failures. Show the office dog. Vulnerability builds trust faster than competence does.
Strategically Imperfect
This doesn't mean low quality. It means "lo-fi" aesthetic. The lighting should be good, the audio crisp, but the vibe should feel spontaneous. It's a difficult balance to strike—appearing effortless takes a lot of effort.
At K&G, we encourage clients to allocate 20% of their media budget to experimental, "rough" creative concepts. Consistently, these ad sets outperform the highly polished assets in A/B testing on social platforms.