Like most women in commercials, I like to start each morning by doing yoga in designer sportswear, journaling in a fancy notebook, followed by eating a wholesome, farm fresh breakfast. Naturally, I have loads and loads of free time, can carefully select the perfect outfit, and artfully style my hair and makeup.

Because, you know, that’s real life.

Frustrated by how most companies market to women, Organic Valley, a consumer packaged goods company that sells organic food and beverages, knew that it needed to break the mold, both in their product line and in how it speaks to its customers.

The company conducted a survey of 1,000 women between the ages of 25-54 and found that:

• 57% of women are up before the sun rises
• 21% of women check their work email before getting out of bed
• 9% of women cite dry shampoo as one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century
• 33% of women never make their bed
• 21% of women have used an article of clothing to camouflage a stain
• 58% of women will swear at someone or something over the course of their day
• 16% of women would describe their morning with the hashtag #blessed

In contrast to the perfect mornings seen on TV and in social media, Organic Valley discovered that most women’s mornings and days for that matter are “officially cray.” From messy houses to kids and families to take care of, many women are lucky if they have a few minutes to themselves, let alone time to eat breakfast.

Organic Valley channeled these insights into a brand storytelling campaign called the, “Real Morning Report,” and brought them to life in a brutally honest, yet humorous video to promote its new Organic Balance Protein Shake, a delicious breakfast for busy women. It’s sweet and messy and beautiful and real.

In addition to the video, the company has also created a dedicated microsite where visitors can take the survey and see colorful visuals of how they stack up against the results. As a reward for taking the survey, site visitors can score a coupon to try out the company’s new Organic Balance Protein Shake for free.

This campaign follows “Save the Bros,” a campaign that promoted Organic Valley’s Organic Fuel protein recovery shake, which is now #1 in its category. The effort helped the co-op become the first billion-dollar organic food company.

So, how can your brand “seize the cray?”

Tell It Like It Is

Jason Falls once wisely wrote on Convince & Convert, “When your brand is authentic, it is true to its mission and purpose.” The authenticity of this campaign is what makes it shine. Buzzfeed even called it a “truth bomb.” The women and examples featured humorous and bluntly tell it like it is in a way that other women can relate to. Instead of selling us the vision, Organic Valley is selling us the reality—and it works.

Take Inspiration from Consumer Insights

It’s one thing to tell it like it is, but it’s another to back it up. Partnering with a third party to host a survey was a smart idea, as the results validate both the campaign and new product offering. By tapping into consumer insights, it’s not just an Organic Valley marketing campaign; it’s the voice of busy working women.

A great way to take this a step further is to also incorporate social media. Social media presents an incredible treasure trove of customer insights about your company, industry, and even your competitors. Plus, you can make these insights actionable by building customer profiles, segmenting audiences, and identifying top influencers to target and build relationships with.

Add Value

At the end of the day, it’s all about adding value, both with your marketing and your products. A great marketing campaign with a poor product isn’t going to make a lasting impact. In the same vein, a product that nobody knows about will not drive results for your company.

By telling it like it is and adding value to busy women on-the-go, Organic Valley has another hit on their hands.

Jessica Gioglio is the co-author of The Laws of Brand Storytelling and The Power of Visual Storytelling. Professionally, Jessica has led innovative marketing and public relations programs for Dunkin’, TripAdvisor, Sprinklr, and more. Today, Jessica is a keynote speaker (book her here) and founder of With Savvy Media & Marketing, a strategic branding, storytelling, and content strategy consultancy.