Put Your Best Story Foot Forward
Ken could not believe what he was watching when the original commercial appeared on television two months ago.
To be sure, he looked again on YouTube. He ran the cringe-worthy spot back again and again, shaking his head in disbelief. Holy Hogwarts Batman!
Did a major global auto manufacturer just take a swipe at kids trying their best to perform classical music?
Entitled “Beautiful Mess”, the ad is for the 2022 INFINITI QX60. In an attempt to showcase the car’s soundproofing features, Nissan uses youth musicians as a punching bag in a bad marketing joke; portraying a parent putting comfort and conspicuous consumption before the artistic efforts of her child and her friends.
Once Ken had seen enough, he made a leadership decision to tell a different side to the story. On behalf of the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra and young musicians everywhere, Ken jotted down a few notes, grabbed a small video crew, and uploaded a response on April 20, 2022.
It’s easy to be critical of Nissan and jaded, tone-deaf marketers who ever thought snubbing hard-working kids of affluent parents was a good idea. However, Ken MacLeod’s initiative also reveals how leaders of any B2B, B2C company, or in this case a non-profit, can dramatically shift any public narrative - with next to no budget. In tackling a cheap, lazy stereotype head-on, Ken fused old-fashioned storytelling with modern technology to trumpet the great work his organization has been doing for the last two decades; creating a positive environment for social change where musical talent and promise can flourish.
The results from one 60-second story have been nothing short of staggering.
The results from one 60-second story have been nothing short of staggering.
“Infinity of Talent” went viral with 100,000+ views on YouTube and six-figure impressions on platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.
It became national news on CBC’s flagship program, “The National” as well as on CTV and other print, radio and television outlets. Ken’s story also got picked up by the UK-based CLASSIC FM and its n the UK - with 3 million subscribers.
A comedy duo from Brisbane, Australia known as TwoSetViolin, started digging deeper into the controversy. With 3.7 million subscribers. Brett Wang and Eddy Chen took a page from “60 Minutes” and exposed Nissan for deliberately misleading young musicians.
Beyond the international acclaim, NBYO also piqued the interest of an anonymous benefactor who has come forward with a substantial six-figure donation. And if that’s not enough of a payoff for a single video, NBYO also received this invitation from Carnegie Hall to make an appearance in 2023.
“Mr. MacLeod,
We came across your orchestra’s follow-up video to the Infinity car commercial and we thought it was brilliant. We share in your love for music creation and doing so at a very high level. We also believe students should be rewarded for pursuing these musical endeavors with life-changing performance opportunities. With that, Music Celebrations International would like to formally invite the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra to perform on the main stage of Carnegie Hall in the 2023 Viennese Masters Orchestra Invitational taking place June 15-16, 2023!
Sincerely yours,
John P. Wiscombe, President”
THREE TIMELESS TAKEAWAYS
1. If you are Makoto Uchida, current CEO of Nissan Motor Company, Jérémie Papin, Sr. VP for Nissan of the Americas, you must question why so much time and money was spent on a marketing initiative that backfired so badly. The volume of on-line vitriol grows with each day as viewers make their voices heard with comments such as “As a music educator and FORMER Infiniti owner, I am extremely disappointed that their marketing team would stoop so low to insult millions of students and educators that work and strive towards excellence. Shame on you Infiniti!!”. Evidently, Nissan is paying a steep price for neglecting brand strategy before message. No matter the size of the organization or category you compete in, clarity on brand strategy is a leadership issue. It is NOT a marketing issue.
2. Ken MacLeod is a shining example of what real leadership looks like in the 21st century, combining his ability to tell a compelling story, make a respectful point and use modern tools and platforms such as YouTube and Facebook to get the message out. He recognizes the impact of having a real human face in the digital space far outweighs any contrived or manufactured marketing message.
3. Brett Wang and Teddy Chen are a perfect illustration that today’s audience also has the ability and capacity to be their own media. With over 1 billion views on their YouTube channel, this tuned-in twosome has far more reach than many traditional radio, television and newspaper outlets. In other words, social media is a significant instrument in the redistribution of power from marketers to ordinary citizens.
Cynics tend to scoff whenever someone brings up the not-so-novel idea that one story can change the world. Maybe it’s because they think you need to be akin to a Mother Teresa, a Martin Luther King or Stephen King to have a story worth telling and sharing. However, centuries of evidence repeatedly confirms that story is the surest pathway to deep human connection. No one gives a damn about stats, specs and QX 60 product features such as quiet interiors and massaging front seats. But, craft a David-and-Goliath story where a small non-profit has the audacity to challenge a faceless monolithic corporation and thousands will be inspired to grab a digital spear and charge enemy gates.
The leaders, prophets and poets of today are the storytellers. There is nothing stopping you from picking up a pen, striking a keyboard, uploading a photo or pushing the “record” button to inspire us all to make this world a better place or when the moment appears, to call b.s. when we see it.
As Ken so vividly demonstrated, one story CAN change your world.
And spark an infinity of magic.
“There’s always room for a story that can transport people to another place.”
J.K. ROWLING
p.s…. Full disclosure. Ken MacLeod and I have been friends for 30+ years, but I was only alerted to this story about a week or so after he uploaded his response video. Kudos to Greg Hemmings and his team at Hemmings House in Saint John, New Brunswick for helping Ken and NBYO bring this incredible story to life.
PLANNING A SPEAKING EVENT?
The wheels of business turn faster each quarter and your company or industry association may be anxious to stay ahead of the lighting-fast relevance curve. In that respect, we are now scheduling many in-person programs for 2022 and 2023 sharing the universally-applicable message of BIG LITTLE LEGENDS
For more information on scheduling an In-Person or Virtual Speaking Program, please send us a note here: bookings@gairmaxwell.com.
BIG LITTLE LEGENDS:
What Real Readers Are Saying
Released in November of 2021 through Vancouver-based Page Two Publishing, the little black book with the magical cover is now available through AUDIBLE and Wal-Mart. A grateful author is deeply appreciative of the groundswell of support that continues to flow in from Real Readers just like Chelsea Gilbert in Fredericton, NB at the Most Huggable Place On Earth
“Heroes get remembered. Legends never die” BABE RUTH.
YOUR BRAND. ON TRACK. If now is the opportune time to discover the brand story and strategy uniquely your own, consider exploring a metaphorical road trip called THE BRANDING HIGHWAY. Our Executive Bootcamps serve as a journey and destination to help your brand emerge as an undeniable, undisputed, "Category of One.” Along the way, you will discover how to create substantial Differentiation and strategic Relevance while aligning your executive team. Impossible to describe, but it helps to a quick peek at this video:
“The most important victory is the one which has to arrive” ENZO FERRARI
Every week, someone asks a question about our videos and our media partner responsible for the storyboarding, production, and editing. Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Defiant Astronaut Media is uniquely positioned to help business leaders rethink what's possible with this art form.
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