What KFC and Ryanair teaches brands about being self-aware
Let’s talk about self-awareness for a second.
If you don’t even know who you are as a brand, how can you expect anyone else to do the same?
And if that sounds like therapy speak, then welcome to Brand Rehab. Come on in, take a seat. Let’s unpack that, shall we?
A wise man (our strategist Kieran Hughes) once said: “Self-awareness isn’t a singular, absolute truth. It’s a delicate balancing act between two distinct, and sometimes even competing, viewpoints.”
On one hand, you have your brand’s internal perception of itself – the shiny, idealised version that you present to the world.
On the other hand, you have the external view – how your customers and the rest of the world perceive your brand.
Self-awareness isn’t achieved by getting outsiders to come around to your internal self-perception, but instead embracing how you’re perceived by others.
True self-awareness is finding that sweet spot where the two viewpoints intersect, creating a harmonious blend of aspiration and reality. This sweet spot is where brands can showcase their true selves while still striving for growth and improvement. That’s challenging enough as it is on social, but factor in an unfavourable public image, complicated approval processes or a lack of buy-in from higher ups, and it’s easy to see how these two perceptions can drift apart.
Self-awareness isn’t achieved by getting outsiders to come around to your internal self-perception, but instead embracing how you’re perceived by others – even if you think that perception doesn’t do you any favours. It sounds counterintuitive, but a savvy reframing can work wonders for reclaiming public perceptions and earning their trust.
Don’t be authentic, be self-aware.
So what’s the deal with self-awareness anyway?
Well, at SocialChain you might already know we’re on a buzzword crusade. We hate buzzwords. And “authentic”? That’s top of our list.
There’s nothing problematic about the sentiment behind that word. We love a brand that stays true to themselves! But what is problematic is when that word is subbed in for another, more specific word that has an actual, tangible meaning – like “self-aware”.
We’ll show you what we mean. Here’s just two examples of brands which you might think of as “authentic”. But really, what’s meant in this context is that they’re self-aware – about both their strengths and their flaws. They know exactly what their lane is, and they stay in it – and audiences love that about them.
Ryanair
Ryanair is a cheap airline – always has been, always will be. So, too, is its humour. The brand knows it’s no luxury carrier. But rather than skirting over all the less-than-luxury perks of flying with a value airline – AKA there’s not always a window seat, there’s definitely not WiFi and you’ll be walking a good mile to get to your gate – the social team owned it. And it worked.
A brand with a few lingering negative perceptions thanks to previous PR might try to flip the script by rebranding as an entirely professional airline with a wholesome aura to win Gen Z over. But that’s not what true self-awareness is about. Let that be a lesson. Don’t shy away from your setbacks – embrace them.
KFC
Instead of avoiding the subject, KFC UK&IRE used its fries’ reputation for being rubbish to an advantage when launching the new and improved recipe. Our social campaign for the seasoned Signature Fries used the popularity of the fries slander as a jumping off point to catapult the launch.
Acting as Admin, we joined in the fries hating, thrilling the audience by validating their complaints, before appearing to take a stand on the community’s behalf and pass the feedback up the chain to finally answer their prayers for tastier fries. And it worked, achieving a whopping 10 million impressions and over 250k engagements across social.
Can we skip to the best part?
Talking about Ryanair and KFC is all well and good. But how can YOU take inspiration from these brands and apply it to your own creative, campaigns and strategy?
You can find the answers in our latest white paper Forget Real – available to download now for free.
Inside, you’ll find all you need to know when it comes to being self-aware – plus more tips on how you can forget “authentic” and aim higher than marketing’s favourite buzzword. There’s no catch, no cost, and no bullsh*t – just clever commentary and actionable advice from our experts.
Get your free copy now and find out:
- How to walk the walk and talk the talk when it comes to accountability
- Our guide to getting transparency right
- How you can build genuine community that equates to more than just followers
