The Millennium Marketer

Maybe you’ve heard the words before: authenticity, transparency, etc. I’ve read in different places at different times that authenticity and community building are important, especially when there is a class of people who do not believe advertising. Read on about an interesting example of traditional, old skool marketing.

This morning as I was listening to my usual radio station, a Shane Company ad came on. If you haven’t heard it, it’s usually (Tom?) Shane himself announcing that your mom, wife or fiance deserves the jewelry she wants but on your budget. The nasal voice is often memorable, but it’s really hard to believe him or become really excited about his jewelry, namely because you can tell he is reading all of this messaging off of a cue card, and he wants your money.

Then, today, I hear a different ad for Shane Company, which starts off as “Dear Tom Shane…yor saleswoman made shopping for my fiance’s engagement ring so memorable that even the saleswoman got misty eyed.” (Or something to that effect.) Even if it really was a customer reading his thank you letter on the air, it still had me rolling my eyes. No offense to the Shane Company intended.

There isn’t anything wrong with self promotion. We are geared in that direction. And I know that companies aren’t yet entirely comfortable with the idea of opening up the communication through building online communities for their customers. At the same time, you can’t just broadcast your message over the airwaves, and expect a positive response, because it’s likely that most consumers will question what you are saying, do their research online, and check with others about their experiences, possibly through a ratings & reviews source.

When I studied European history in college, I noticed that there was always a revolution and an anti-revolution, where people would move against the current trend. In the 90s, advertising was everywhere, and if it worked then, it may work at a lesser extent now. We still want to be interactive. I don’t think younger people who are coming into their own have really given up craving one-to-one relationships. And with large corporations, it becomes harder and harder to do so, which is why having one voice behind your message and developing authentic relationships can be so influential. As human beings, we have a harder time saying “no” to people we are familiar with. Good brands have done well in this regard, but now we need to associate faces to the companies for a more authentic interaction.

The bottom line: It all starts with people. A photo, a profile or bio and a sense of humor or a different perspective.

Please leave your comments on this subject of authenticity in the media and I look forward to becoming more informed with your feedback.