You’re (Probably) Not the Target Audience

Let’s be honest. If you touch the advertising industry–whether you’re a client, a creative, a strategist, or a self-proclaimed Jack-of-all-trades–you’ve probably fallen into the trap of thinking, “I’d never click on that,” or “This doesn’t resonate with me,” and most certainly, “If I wouldn’t want to buy, no one else will.”

Here’s the reality: you are not the target audience.

 The Mirror Effect

It’s natural to view campaigns through our own lens. After all, we’re immersed in a brand’s world consistently, if not every single day. Unfortunately, assuming personal preferences align with target audience preference can lead to misguided strategies (and frustrated clients and teams). This phenomenon, often termed the “mirror effect,” occurs when you project your personal taste into your campaigns and messaging, ignoring how the audience thinks or feels.

Consider this: a campaign that feels “off” to you might be spot-on for your target demographic. On the flip side, that specific message you know is going to drive conversion may be alienating your consumers. It is essential to differentiate between personal and audience preference. Effective advertising isn’t about appealing to your own tastes and C-Suite opinions, it’s about resonating with your target consumer.

Take Nike, for example. The brand built its legacy on bold, inspiring stories that spoke directly to athletes and everyday people chasing greatness. But recently, Nike’s choices have felt more like they’re trying to keep up with the conversation than lead it. They’ve drifted from the values that established them as the market leader, and instead started projecting what they thought would be more profitable for the business—casting aside the brand aspects their audience actually connects with.

Rather than drive innovation and inspiration in their marketing efforts, Nike shifted efforts to performance-based metrics and promotional messaging to drive immediate sales–ultimately resulting in a consumer uninterested in the label alone and revenues declining 10% YoY.  That kind of misalignment doesn’t just hurt brand perception—it hits the bottom line.

How to Stay Audience-Centric

1. Embrace Data-Driven Insights: Use data to get real about what your audience actually wants. Numbers don’t lie–let them guide you.
2. Engage in Active Listening: Feedback, reviews and social media interactions offer unfiltered insights into your audience’s perceptions and desires.
3. Diversify Your Team: Bring different voices to the table–different backgrounds, experiences and ways of thinking help you see what you might miss on your own.
4. Test and Iterate: Test different ideas, see what sticks and consistently refine to ensure your campaigns stay relevant.

Opportunity of Reflection

The mirror effect gets a bad rap—and for good reason. It’s easy to fall into and hard to spot. But for brands that know how to recognize it, it can be a powerful advantage. When you catch yourself marketing from the inside out, it’s a chance to pause, check your assumptions, and refocus on the audience you’re actually trying to reach. It raises an important question: are we creating for ourselves, or for them?

This kind of self- and brand-awareness is lucrative. The moment you stop seeing your own reflection and start seeing your audience clearly, you’re in a much better position to connect, inspire, and ultimately drive results.

Nike, to its credit, recognized the disconnect. Rather than doubling down, the brand pivoted–returning to its roots with a global campaign that reignited its original spirit of possibility and perseverance. This spot didn’t just celebrate athletic greatness, it invited everyday people to dream bigger, think bolder, and embrace their potential in an audience-first approach. Nike got back to speaking to their audience instead of at them. The response? A renewed sense of connection.

It’s easy to let personal bias sneak in, but here’s the truth: if you’re building ads for you, you’re probably missing the mark. Great campaigns aren’t built on personal taste–they’re built on audience truth. Whatever your role, check yourself: Are you making decisions based on what you like, or what your audience needs to hear?

Because if it’s the former, you’re not advertising. You’re creating a mirror.

But if you recognize the mirror, you can turn it outward to reflect what matters most.

Curious about building audiences who will actually drive results for your brand? Let’s chat.