Recently, there was some debate that was generated about an earlier post regarding authenticity and how marketers can "use" this expected standard in the online/social world. The two sides of the coin were:
1. Social media IS authenticity. It is not a tactic, nor a tool to be used by some marketer in a non-authentic fake stab at trying to be authentic. Regardless of the language used, the ideals of the social media channels should not be compromised in marketing language to get the point across. Faking it is faking it.
2. It is understood that social media is authentic. But rather, in discussions with CMOs and communications professionals, the topic of authenticity needs to come up. And in speaking with them, to convince them of the benefits of breaking from corporate speak, point out that authenticity is a way of doing business, a way of communicating that will actually drive adoption and loyalty to their brand/message/cause. However, make sure that you don't fake it.
Which brings me back to robots. I was on Twitter debating one of the perspectives with @amoyal when he replied:
"amoyal @vanceOpel your customers are humans though not robots Authenticity shouldn't have to be explained in these terms"
Well, that's just it. That's the point of the robots on my Twitter page, and the soon-to-be-launched Elasticity Web site. We're not quite sure who are humans and who are robots in our daily lives (business or otherwise).
How many people do you know that simply "follow protocol?" That find it difficult to break out of the rules or "think on their feet?" How many agencies put together the same formula for each of their new business presentations? How many corporate marketers say "think outside the box," and then stick to what has always been done in the past? How many customer service reps have you dealt with that simply follow their script and never actually help you? I could go on and on...
The Cluetrain Manifesto puts it this way:
"Whether explaining or complaining, joking or serious, the human voice is unmistakably genuine. It can't be faked. Most corporations, on the other hand, only know how to talk in the soothing, humorless monotone of the mission statement, marketing brochure, and your-call-is-important-to-us busy signal. Same old tone, same old lies."
There has been slow change since that book came out years ago. We know that we're in a revolution that is changing all of that, and that is the mission of our new agency: Elasticity. That is the point of the robots. We are on a mission to humanize the robots hidden amongst us. Or at the very least, to reveal those robots so that we can avoid them and simplify our lives wherever we can.
Sterile happytalk insults the intelligence of markets too smart to buy it. "Corporate firewalls have kept smart employees in and smart markets out." This year is going to be the tipping point for social media. Look to see the hulking masses of these tiresome robot skins piling up in the streets as the humans inside these companies and agencies shed them in huge numbers. We hope to be a big catalyst in that effort.
Photo credit: Flickr- Neato Coolville
