What Does Making a Murderer Have to Do with Your Brand?

It might be hard to imagine what the story of a convicted murderer, serving a life sentence in the state of Wisconsin, might have to do with your brand.  In the case of Netflix’s Making a Murderer, however, it’s worth the effort.

Over the past Christmas/New Year’s holidays, millions of viewers binge-watched the ten-part documentary series, more than any of the company’s other big hits, including House of Cards and Orange is the New Black, both of which were speedily added to the lexicon of pop culture.

Making a Murderer’s phenomenal popularity reflects and reinforces a deep current in the nation’s psyche--a strong skepticism, even suspicion, among American consumers that they can’t trust major institutions, including brands that have been the stronghold of consumer marketing over the last several decades.

We can see this skepticism in other places -- the increasingly polarized rhetoric between the two major political parties, both accusing the other of lying.  The seeming popularity of a reality-TV star and billionaire as a presidential candidate, despite concerns from the leadership of his stated party.  Americans strongly suspect things are not what they appear on the surface--that powerful interests are pulling their strings.  By showing a corrupt and faulty justice system, Making a Murderer strengthens this belief.

This zeitgeist should be a wake-up call to marketing teams of major consumer companies: Don’t bank on the prestige or authority of established brands to prevail in the marketplace. Companies can no longer rely on consumer loyalty on the basis of their past reputations.  Over the years, comments in focus groups have increasingly questioned the truth of claims by major companies about the food and/or other products these companies sell.

So who do consumers trust?  How does a brand or entity earn their confidence?  Just look at the continued growth and constant transformations inside social media for a clue.  Word of mouth, whether it is coming from a regular person or the founder of a brand or company, is how people are getting their information and forming opinions.  To succeed in the current environment, brands need to be personal and approachable, more like individual people with whom customers can establish a relationship based on trust. 

One can see examples of this kind of personal connection between brands and their consumers.  One company, TheGrommet.com, is based on the idea of allowing the inventor of a product to “speak” directly to their customers.  Direct marketing has allowed WEN hair products to grow strong, and their customers have been heard to refer to the founder by his first name. Even Apple, while large and corporate, uses very personal strategies in-store with high emphasis on personable, individual attention for their customers.  Profiles of inventors of healthy food products, especially young and healthy inventors, abound on the Internet.  One young man is selling protein bars that are vegan, and another young company is seeling “ meat bars”, a feat that would be extremely difficult for Nature Valley, Quaker or even Clif.  (See http://www.eatclean.com/personalities/kid-protein-bar-inventor).

It’s easy to forget, but relationship is the key ingredient to building successful long-term customers, whether it’s between individuals or a brand and its consumers.  In skeptical times, especially among younger consumers whose relationships to legacy brands are relatively new, trust is more difficult to build using old models.