Why rule breaking in advertising is the best way forward

Sean Thompson, Founder, Ben Walker, Founder, Matt Gooden, Founder, Who Wot Why Ltd.

Advertising is everywhere, targeting us wherever we go. And yet, we notice less and less of it – 65 per cent fails to deliver any return on investment.

Advertising that works breaks rules. It connects emotionally, it provokes a response, it’s culturally relevant and it challenges expectations by saying what you wouldn’t expect advertising to say.

Who Wot Why’s success is based on three fundamental principles: passion, truth and craft.

Passion

WWW seeks out a brand’s passionate point of view (PPOV) – all successful companies have them. It’s the thing a brand passionately believes that drives the thinking from product all the way through to advertising. It tells your customers what you believe in a way that will make them feel something. It’s your truth.

Truth

To find your PPOV, the people at WWW immerse themselves in the brand. They see advertising not as an opportunity to lie or to trick an audience with smoke and mirrors, but to tell a brand’s true story. To do this they create immersion sessions where they interrogate a brand until it reveals its truth. They leave no stone unturned, and talk to everyone. Once Who Wot Why has found that truth, the next job is to connect it. And that takes craft.

Craft

It’s what connects customers emotionally to brands. Who Wot Why believes if you want to create advertising that people don’t simply ignore, it’s not just about what you say but how you say it. Language and design are key. They create emotional connections between customers and brands that live long after the rational message is forgotten. Great design, writing and filmmaking don’t happen by accident. They come from people who are passionate and committed and love what they do, and that’s key to Who Wot Why’s success and the fortunes of its clients.

Why not break a rule and fire up your business, go to whowotwhy.com.