Most marketers feel that only 35 percent of the information available online about their brands is accurate and up-to-date, an alarming statistic that search experience cloud company Yext is set on fixing.
In its first advertising campaign, created in partnership with TBWA\Chiat\Day New York, Yext is firing shots – in a comedic way - at the spread of misinformation and fake news about brands online. According to Yext, a whopping 82 percent of online information about brands is unverified.
The new creative effort, dubbed "The Man Without the Answers," introduces Todd Munion, a fictional character who jumps into other people’s conversations just to provide erroneous information that comes off as factual. While perhaps not intentionally malicious, the spots show that people like Todd – or sharing false information– is dangerous and unhealthy for brands.
Yext gives businesses control of their own online information, allowing them to deliver brand verified facts to consumers. The platform also integrates data with leading search networks like Google, TripAdvisor, Yelp, Facebook and more.
The 90-second hero spot will live online alongside sector-specific 30-second cuts to address misinformation across healthcare, retail and financial services. Media spend for the campaign has been mainly focused online through digital video, LinkedIn and connected TV, but it will also include a hyper-targeted out-of-home element.