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Getting Naked With Noam Chomsky

by
Leonie,
on November 28, 2011 -
|
10 comments

Getting Naked With Noam Chomsky

This slightly edited version was originally published on leavinthebigsmoke.

En mass we are transitioning into being more open, more honest, more willing to be exposed as our whole selves. As consumers we’re demanding honesty. Social Media has created an increased desire to form a ‘relationship’ with who we do business with. Gone are the days of spin and propaganda and in their place is the time of authenticity and connection… Or is it?

In business my past tendency has been to hide behind a brand or a company, speak as a ‘we’ and an ‘us’ rather than an ‘I’. Social Media has changed the dynamics of business relationships. Now we want to know who we are doing business with. We don’t just want to know what the company stands for, what their mission and vision are. We want to know about the individual we are dealing with. And part of this is being willing to ‘share’ yourself with the world and ultimately your prospective clients or customers.

It can feel a little exposing at first to step up from behind your brand façade and become the brand yourself. But at the end of the day people are buying ‘you’, not just your product or service.

This is happening in all levels of business. Think of Richard Branson for example. What would Virgin be without Richard? Just another multinational conglomerate. The positive attributes of his adventurous, philanthropic, never-say-never personality get transposed to his companies and thus create positive PR. On the other hand Rupert Murdoch’s perceived ‘negative’ traits are effecting the public perception of his media empire.

Contemporary marketing is all about relationship building. So where then is the balance between authenticity and public perception management? I think in the past it was mostly spin. PR could totally construct your (mostly) corporate image in alignment with whatever perception you were after. Or sell anything based on clever manipulation. Mad Men is a fantastic series that takes a poke at the unscrupulous ad men of the 60’s. And exploration of the manipulative power of media.

In the late ’80’s Noam Chomsky co-wrote the seminal “Manufacturing Consent-The Political Economy of the Mass Media” which discussed media propaganda.

: Noam Chomsky

I feel that as a populus we are now more discerning and better critical thinkers. Most of us know that the news is not the facts, it’s subjective opinion based on vested interests. At the same time there’s further pressure on the media to be objective or face exposure.

So what is happening now is increasingly we are feeling the pull to be more ‘wholly’ ourselves and likewise there is demand from the market for authenticity and connection. Authenticity is the new black!

So the challenge now is how much honesty? How much openness? How much information? How much laying yourself bare?

Personally, I really admire someone who, despite their success, is willing to be vulnerable, admit to flaws and failure but still keep moving forward, improving what they do. It is this openness that allows the building of trust between you and your clients.

I think the highest form of business success is the ability to win your audience with authenticity, with the vested interest being the communication of your value to the customers who can positively benefit from what you got.

So it seems we may be as a populus, transitioning out of spin, propaganda and façade towards authenticity, vulnerability and ultimately courage… To be ourselves. To stand up in front of the world naked. Showing all, hiding nothing.

What do you think? Is this really what’s going on in the new business world or is it just a more sophisticated breed of propaganda?

Leonie :)

Grab your free guide to writing (authentic) winning words here!

Refer to my recent post Split Personality (Disorder?) for a further discussion of related themes.

LEONIE ORTON is a business writer and marketer.
She extracts your thoughts, gives them structure
and then converts them into words that are heard.
Find out more about her here. Connect with her on
Facebook & Twitter.

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10 comments

Pim Stort
November 29, 2011
Indeed Leonie, treating our potential clients or customers as fools is done at our our own peril. People are not idiots. Everyone knows when the BS detector goes off and it is a huge negative. The person behind the brand is effectively the brand anyway. Integrity and true value is the only way forward and I’m glad it’s taking hold. Pim

Reply

Leonie
November 29, 2011
Absolutely Pim. And isn’t it great that we as consumers are simultaneously creating a payoff for businesses to be authentic, and space for us AS business people to be authentic. :)

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Liz See
November 29, 2011
Beautifully written! I think the key is to follow your own path and not do things just because others are doing it or have been told you should be doing it. Being authentic in your own way that is true to you and your business shines through and your clients will see that! Thank you…I am enjoying reading your work and your beautiful way with words!

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Leonie
November 29, 2011
Thank you so much Liz. And you are so right. If it truly is ‘authentic’… it’s authentic. :)

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Lisa
November 29, 2011
This is a very interesting blog and something i am fascinated with. Our culture has always had a bit of a tall poppy syndrome which has kept most of us from bragging about our achievements, then comes along social media and we now need to be authentic as well as humble, it has created a cultural shift which is huge and can only be for the best.

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Leonie
December 16, 2011
Thanks for your comment Lisa. It’s an interesting combination isn’t it. Whenever I meet with a client to interview them for copy I always come up against the Tall Poppy Syndrome… In looking for their point of difference they err on the side of humble and feel uncomfortable if my words build them up too much. It’s a delicate balance… I’ve just published a post about this topic. Reworked from something I wrote a while ago.

Reply

Vanessa Bushell
November 30, 2011
I love this post Leonie, a very intelligent look at the emerging trends in media. Noam Chomsky is one of favorite political writers, I’ve read some of writing on Western (or US) global power and propaganda and its very confronting!!! Also, being a psychologist I know some of the strategies, techniques and psychological studies behind propaganda and media.

Due to social media trends, I think it is more complex to manipulate people through media, but it still very much happens. Perhaps its easier to pick up because there is is a drive to at least look authentic. But I think what is happening is that people who are authentic and do really come from the heart have so many avenues to promote themselves and ethical business that they are emerging as the new business trend. I believe as a culture, our values are significantly shifting over the past 60 years and ethical business is an important shift for humanity.

Great post
Vanessa

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Leonie
December 16, 2011
Thanks Vanessa. I agree!

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Ella
January 17, 2012
Like the blog

Reply
Leonie
December 16, 2011
Hehe… It’s difficult to keep lies going!

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