It’s a spot for an automotive brand that will remain unnamed. Over a montage of rosy-hued footage, while gentle music plays in the background, a medley of different voices tells us:

"When we first opened our doors, it didn’t take us long to realize we weren’t in the car business. We were in the people business. We needed to be helpful, respectful, compassionate. To treat people like guests. It’s what we all signed up for. And now when people need this most, we will do what we’ve always done. Take care of people first. The rest will follow."

It was earnest. It was passionate.

And it was jarringly, breathtakingly phony.

Don’t get me wrong. I have no reason to doubt that the company genuinely wants to “take care of people first” at this particular moment in time. The spot directs viewers to a site where they outline the many ways the company is responding to the pandemic – from payment deferrals to community support.

But I’ve been aware of this brand for roughly 30 years and have never – EVER – heard anything remotely like this from them before.

So to tell me that they’re doing it because it’s “what they’ve always done” rings hollow.

And it tarnishes my perception of the brand.

Compare that with this spot for Uber – a company that was created solely on the basis of people NOT staying at home.

The closing slide simply states:

"Stay home for everyone who can’t. Thank you for not riding with Uber."

The differences are striking.

Obviously, there is a rush for brands to acknowledge the current situation. In a recent report from communications firm Edelman, 84% percent of respondents said they want advertising to focus on how brands are helping people cope with pandemic-related life challenges. It’s why we’ve all been bombarded with emails and ads reassuring us of the efforts companies are making. 

Some are sincere. Some are misguided. Some are downright ham-fisted.

But the ones that resonate most have one trait in common: they feel honest.

It's always been the case that in order to genuinely connect with consumers, a brand must be true to itself. That’s never been more important than it is right now. Because consumers can sniff out the phonies. And they have long memories.

Brands that are seen as being either tone deaf – or worse, trying to capitalize on the moment – run the risk of alienating consumers who are already stressed, anxious, and overwhelmed. 

Those that treat us with respect, understanding, and honesty will earn our loyalty.

Another example. My wife makes the occasional online purchase through Boden, the clothing retailer. A little while back, she received this message:

“It might seem highly inappropriate to show you clothes for which you currently have no need. But we’ve already made the clothes. We’ve already taken the photographs, we’ve already printed the catalogues. It was too late to stop. We hope you don’t find it horribly insensitive.”

That’s what respect for your customer looks like. It’s trusting that they’ll understand. It’s demonstrating “we’re all in this together” in a way that resonates – a way that seems genuine.

That’s doing it right.