And why the perfect bouquet is imperfect
We humans actually do marketing well when we stay away from trying to do just that: marketing. You see it when you pay attention to the mundane, everyday interactions. And it highlights some of the fundamental flaws in the way brands communicate with their audience. Perhaps it's no more complicated than "...should a person talk to you like ads talk to you, you'd punch them." But it's worth a closer look.
I bought flowers the other day for my wife. The experience was out to be an interesting reminder of how branded content needs to work. The flowers are of course the content, and the branding is what I want in return for the expense.
"What have you done now?" the florist asked as I enter. Already assuming an agenda.
"Nothing special," I replied.
"You know, if you don't tell me, I can't help you." Good. Let's get the objectives clear before we toss pretty stuff at the problem.
"You give her too much, she'll think you been sleeping around." Good to know.
He collected a neat little bouquet, looked at it and nodded. Perfect.
"Then you need to add some stuff."
"Like what?"
"Anything."
"But I will mess up the perfect...whatever you got there."
"That's the point. The flowers are from you, not me."
Touché.
And as I walked back with my flowers I thought about how well we sell, position, argue, attract, flirt... when we are left to our own devices. In part, because we don't broadcast to millions that we don't know and will never see. But, for most part, because we live by the notion that we are judged by what we do and what we say. I think about the guy down the street selling his car and how the handmade cardboard ad in the window has a listing of all that is wrong with the vehicle—then compare that to the hyperbolic 30-second spot running now for a local Dodge dealer. I think about the guy in the bar looking for female companionship, carefully surveying his options and selecting his tactics before he moves in. And there's my buddy Mark who yesterday dialed back his usual sales pitch when calling on a friend's company: "Hate selling to friends. What do you say?" With real people it's always personal. Attention alone is never enough—and if it's not authentic, we look like idiots. We already know how to do this when we stick to being people. It's when we play Madison Avenue that we get in trouble.
So here's to us: the humans. Living in a world where no one speaks to you like ads speak to you...no one gets punched. There's hope.