What only five years ago would have taken about half a million dollars worth of equipment can now be done by a  $300 phone.

Technology like this is completely changing the media landscape. Jo-Ann’s 15 year old daughter gets her fashion and make-up advice not from magazines, she now gets it from home produced shows on YouTube. NFL stars produce their own after match shows straight from the dressing room, armed with nothing more than an iPhone, amassing tens of thousands of viewers. Come Monday evening, we will be rigging a camera to the second floor balcony of our building in Kensington Market to broadcast the Festival of Lights parade to anyone who wants to see it.

It is getting easier and easier to share what you know, to share what you’re passionate about, to share what it is you are really selling.  It also means that if what you have to say is of interest to enough people, an audience that shares your values and interests will crystallize around you.

To a business, the value of building these communities is the creation of trust, because trust leads to more business.

So, define what it is your business stand for, what you believe in, who and what you truly are. Then, find ways to communicate this essence. The tools are ready and waiting, all you need to do is start using them.

The ad starts with a fake commercial for a cleaning product called Shiny Suds. When our heroine returns to the shower the next day she is greeted by chemical residue in the form of bubbles bearing an uncanny, and probably planned, resemblance to the SC Johnson Scrubbing Bubbles.

As a female that showers, I thought it started with a great insight that spoke to what was remarkable about Method’s products. It made me think about a product category I rarely think of and made me want to use Method. They asked the question, when did clean become so dirty and said you deserved to know what chemicals are in your cleaners by supporting the Household Product Labeling Acts which would require disclosure of ingredients in
household cleaners in the US.

Was the advertising potentially polarizing? You bet! But it was noticed. And to be noticed you have to stick your neck out and that means some people will love you and some people will dislike you. The alternative is to have beige advertising that no one notices. I call it beige because rarely do you find someone that hates beige. It’s a safe colour choice. Of course, I challenge you to find anyone who loves beige.

Sample complaints were in the vein of the following: “Making us fear chemical residue from cleaning products because it’s tied into a rape threat is beyond sickening.”

Method’s reaction to its vocal minority disappoints me. I’m a fan of the company because they’ve approached the seemingly low interest category of cleaning products and reinvented it with beautifully design products that can be displayed on, rather than hidden under, the counter in your home.

The video got 700,000 views and a 5 star rating on YouTube with 2,500 letters written supporting the Household Products Labeling Acts to more than 400 members of Congress, according to Method.

Take 30 seconds and watch the ad and tell me what you think.

This site is one of our many experiments. We build marketing and communication blueprints for our clients and as a result we need to stay informed on what tools are available out there. This is one of those experimentation sites.