In the pilot episode of the political satire program "The Colbert Report," the term Truthiness was unveiled by Stephen Colbert and was used to describe "things that a person claims to know intuitively or from the gut without regard to evidence, logic, intellectual examination, or facts."
There is a long background to this term, but it is the "gut feel" that I'm curious about right now. Where it was maligned in earlier criticism of former President George W Bush, and then reiterated from the New York Times to Canadian Parliament, it seems to be gaining in popularity. And most often in the social media field right now.
After hearing a Southwest Airlines presentation on social media, the question was asked about what tools they use to monitor, gauge trends, measure, and qualify conversations to join and which to avoid, and general research practices. The answer? Roughly "gut feel." Actually, it's more like "when you are participating in the space, you have a general feel for what is going on and you can generally tell what needs to be done and where to go." (paraphrased) And if it weren't for the 4 or 5 other Fortune 500 companies that have responded in the same manner within the last month or so to the same question, I would have let it go at that. From podcasts, to presentations, to blog posts, they are heralding the intuitive properties of some of their youngest employees guts. (maybe because they are in better shape than some of the older ones?)
But why gut feel? Why would these companies not want further evidence, logic, intellectual examination, or other means of quantifying this field that is becoming more and more important to brand perception, company reputation, and purchase decision/behavior? Marketers for years have used data from focus groups, point of purchase data and a myriad of psychological data to hone their craft. Yet with social media, Fortune 500 companies are letting their online reputation be managed by gut feel. And in some cases, those guts have only been out of college as long as social media has been around. Barely enough time to truly understand the company's many efforts in other channels, or understanding of crisis communications, corporate reputation as a practice, or otherwise.
But they know how to use Facebook and Twitter.
Now, I'll grant you that I learned a lot from Malcolm Gladwell in Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking but I'm not sure he was promoting "gut feel." He does argue that "intuitive judgment is developed by experience, training, and knowledge." And granted, with the immediate nature of the online world, there will need to be some gut calls made in response.
But to publicly celebrate gut feel? To eschew intellectual examination? I'm not sure if that is truly what is best for the companies, their online presence or the practice of social media. I still remember the episode of "The Office" where Michael drives his car into a lake because that's what the GPS told him to do. Perhaps a combination of technology, tools AND gut feel will be the answer.
Until then, I look forward to a representative from one of these Fortune 500 companies that explains the intellectual side of their thought out, reasoned, and evidence-based plan. As much as I like Stephen Colbert, I hope that the practice of Social Media or it's "best practices" are not shrouded in truthiness and that those that learn from these presentations do not go away thinking that they, too, can manage their company's online reputation on gut feel.
Illustration: Timo Elliott
