That moment in the food truck line that changed my whole ad approach

I was waiting for a burrito at a cart on 7th and Market last Tuesday and overheard two guys complaining about how every ad they see for local places feels fake. That comment hit me because I realized my own campaigns for a neighborhood coffee shop were probably just as bad. How do you make ads feel real for a small business without sounding like you're trying too hard?

3 comments

3 Comments

emma_clark20d ago

That 7th and Market spot has some of the best al pastor in the city, by the way. But your point about ads feeling fake is spot on. I think the biggest mistake small business owners make is trying to sound like a big corporation with slick promo language. Real people don't talk about "artisanally crafted beverages" or "curated experiences" they just say "Joe makes a good cup of coffee." Try writing the ad like you're telling a friend about the place over the phone, not like you're trying to win an award for best copy. The moment you stop trying to impress people and just describe what's actually good about the shop, that's when it stops feeling fake.

nancy47520d ago

Oh come on, is it really that deep? I mean @emma_clark makes a good point about keeping it simple, but at the end of the day it's just a taco ad, not a philosophy lecture. People either like the food or they don't, fancy words aren't gonna change that.

emery_lopez20d ago

That 7th and Market cart actually has better burritos than al pastor from what I remember, but that's beside the point. I slightly disagree with nancy475 though because it really is that deep when you're talking about a coffee shop trying to build a local following. The problem isn't about fancy words or not, it's about the voice behind them. If an ad for a coffee shop just says "great coffee" with no real details about the place or the people, it blends in with every other ad out there. Emma is onto something about telling a friend vs writing a script, but even that can feel forced if you overthink it.