Can A Brand Own A Category Truth? PNC Says Yes.
Great branding is what happens when a company tells the truth compellingly. PNC has done exactly that with its new “Brilliantly Boring” campaign. In a category where banks are pretending to be cafes (Capital One), PNC kisses this “boring” category truth right on the lips and, in the process, reframes how we regard that truth. Here’s the launch spot:
Did you hear the client say, “Yeah, but any bank can say that”? Me neither.
I want to start here because it’s such a common mistake marketers make. They apply an unwritten rule (it’s unwritten for a reason) that a brand idea must be something “ownable” by the brand. Which is to say, something that only that brand can say.
Nonsense.
Adidas could have said “Just do it,” but they didn’t. Nike did. Starbucks could have said “America runs on Starbucks,” but they didn’t. Dunkin did. Target could have said, “Save money. Live better.” but they didn’t. Walmart did. All of these examples are category truths that Nike, Dunkin, and Walmart discovered and claimed first.
And that’s the rule that should be written: you can build a brand around a category truth if you’re the first in the category to do so. PNC and their agency, Arnold Worldwide, clearly understand this rule. And guess what? Now that they’ve claimed this “boring” territory, no other bank can. That makes it ownable.
Now let’s get back to boring.
PNC reframes our perception of boring.
On the surface, I think anyone would agree that banks are pretty boring. And boring, as a general concept, is not a positive thing. But PNC convincingly tells us WHY they are boring, that there’s an important purpose to being boring, that boring is a necessary component to good banking. And they do it with this statement: “Boring is the unsung catalyst for bold.” Which tees up a series of parallels like launching rockets into space, making vacations happen, and early retirements happen. In every case, boring stuff happens first and then the outcomes are exciting.
To cement our appreciation for boring, we’re told it means PNC is “smart, dependable, and steady.” I can almost guarantee those words were in the creative brief and likely a mandate from the client. But it works here, as it literally redefines the negative “boring” into a positive.
Where else will they take boring?
Is the spot above the greatest spot in the world? No. But keep in mind it had to work very hard to establish this new “Brilliantly Boring” brand idea. The groundwork now laid, I’m very curious where they take this concept. The PNC website lightly sprinkles “boring” into the copy, but there’s no real commitment to the idea. One would think the “About” page would reinforce the entire “boring” ethos, but it doesn’t. It needs to or else I’m giving PNC too much credit, and the above spot is just an ad, not a brand idea.
But knowing the folks at Arnold Worldwide, I’d wager they’re cooking up some exciting boring extensions. Imagine what songs a boring Spotify playlist might include. Who might the brand’s influencers be? A county clerk? An engineer? A librarian? When it comes to boring, these people are professionals. Or sponsor boring places like DMVs, doctor’s offices, and libraries. The possibilities for boring are endless.
It’s got the potential to be a great brand idea. And if PNC continues to mine this category truth, I’ll tell you one thing.
It won’t be boring.
Will Burns is a brand consultant and Founder & CEO of the revolutionary virtual-idea-generating company, Ideasicle X. He’s an advertising veteran from such agencies as Wieden & Kennedy, Goodby Silverstein, Arnold Worldwide, and Mullen. He was a Forbes Contributor for nine years writing about creativity in modern branding. Sign up for a video consultation through my Intro account.