Last week I spoke on a panel at the BDI Convergence 2007. Moderated by Peter Himler, the panel included Russell Meyer, chief strategy officer at Landor, Bruce Ertmann who heads up Toyota's corporate blogging efforts, and Jessica Luterman the newly minted managing director at DeSilva and Phillips. The topic was Authentic Communications - Examining Social Media and the Online Conversation.
Quite a topic for an hour, but plunged we did.
For sometime I have used the term transparency to describe the goal of a corporate blogger. But is that realistic? As Josh Hallet has pointed it out, if we were really transparent, we would be sharing all our personal and proprietary information with anyone who asked. Not likely.
I am warming up to this notion of authenticity. It conjures up an old timer from Maine with a thick New England accent. He is real, genuine and the only thing he spins are the yarns from his childhood.
Now there is a suggestion that selling authenticity is a new thing. Growing up, wasn't Coke supposed to be the real thing?
More than a slogan, authenticity is about using a distinct voice to communicate the culture and values of your company or client minus spin and marketing speak. It's about telling it like it is in your unique way.
On the panel, Bruce Ertmann talked about the Toyota way. That way is about respect for others. Authenticity takes that way of thinking to a higher level. By speaking honestly, you are elevating your respect for the audience.
The Drive Toward Authenticity
This drive for authenticity reflects the intersection of three trends - less formality, more intimacy and new tools that foster collaboration and conversation.
Less Formality: Let's face it. We are less formal in our dress, speech and relationships with our parents and bosses. Any doubts? When was the last time you wore a tuxedo to go clubbing? Tell that to those party animals from a 1930's Screwball Comedy decked out in evening gowns and tuxedos.
More Intimacy: We are more intimate. It is perfectly acceptable to share personal details with friends and millions on the Internet. The confession is a way of life. It is not a source of shame; it's an opportunity to rebrand yourself.
New Technology: Blogs, wikis, social networks allow us to more easily share, converse and collaborate.
The Result: Companies want to be our friends and share experiences. We PR and marketing folks are scrambling to build a whole new business vocabulary to reflect these more personal relationships.
I want to avoid replacing one set of marketing terms with another. Wishing to avoid shorthand, I want my words to be authentic. I want my new media buzz words to keep their sting.
Consider authenticity. We want our conversations to be authentic. We tell our bosses and clients to strive for it. But can we define it? You know it when you experience it, but it is tough to pin down.
- Is it authentic to refer to your company's fries as "world famous" - even when they are?
- Is a question from a real person on YouTube to a presidential candidate any more authentic than that from a seasoned journalist?
- Is a Wikipedia page authentic because it does not permit a company's direct input?
It's easy to throw out the word authenticity; it's tough to make a corporate voice authentic. If you are paid to have a point of view, your voice is immediately suspect. But your compensation should not be an obstacle to authenticity.
Corporate voices can be authentic as long as they embody the essence of authenticity: undisputed credibility.
If what's being said is believable, sincere and unfiltered, it doesn't make a difference whether it's a employee or customer, a vice president or a call center rep. You can have an agenda and be authentic. You just have to believe in what you are saying.
The quest for authenticity opens up new opportunities to engage customers. But in advocating its use, let's follow the Toyota way and avoid making authencity just another buzz word to be tossed around.
Let me get back to you.
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