Mr. Z sent a reminder to the world this week where the roots of social media came from. Adorned in some cotton blend, worn and pilled Hoodie, he stood in front of the powers that be, the men and women who juggle most of the nations wealth in their hands, and inadvertently made a statement. Arrogant? Pompous? I'd go with neither. You can say what you want about the way Facebook has changed, and the way Mr. Z's business has grown, but some things have never changed. The Hoodie, for one, may be a personal choice of comfort for the 27-year old CEO, but I'd like to think it stands for something else: It stands as a reminder to be true to ourselves, our brand, our company mission, and to social media itself.
We've taken social media and made it a tool; we've abused it, pushed the envelope of its uses, and toyed with social standards on formality and informality. We've taken blood from both of its arms and turned it into a lucrative marketing platform, that we reap the benefits from daily. Day by day as an industry we are slowly stepping away from the roots of social media, chasing "likes", traffic, and dollar signs. I'm not saying I don't love making money off of social media- I LOVE MONEY, but I'm also a bit of a purist when it comes to social media marketing, and respect what it was founded on.
Remember social media is about connecting, engaging each other, sharing ideas, and making a friend. We might judge Mr. Z for not suiting up like the rest of the million dollar moguls dressed in monkey suits- but how would we feel if he did conform? Whether or not we like to believe it, we see him as the face of Social Media. If he put on a faux Armani suit, and adorned himself with some chintzy tungsten ring, his image would be just as brittle as the garb he was wrapped in. The same goes for your business. If you keep chasing dollar signs, you will lose your demographic, and your credibility. Remember who you are as a business, as a brand, and as an individual; stay humble and remember, your audience is who puts food in your mouth- be thankful for them.
So, for all you Social Media Marketing Firm Exec's out there: if you feel tension in your firm, or feel like you're losing touch with clients, or just need some inspiration, I challenge you to take a note from Mr. Z's book. Ditch the monkey suit; put on a stinky old Hoodie, maybe make-out with some interns and "Move Fast and Break Things" the Facebook way.
'Cause we are living in a digital world and I'm a social media girl.XB