I’m done Being “Messaged”

May 5, 2009 in Social Media 0 Comments

I’m done Being “Messaged”

A couple of weeks ago I did a brief post about doing rather than saying. It stemmed from my frustration with traditional advertising messages I was hearing on TV. They were so disconnected from me and seemingly disingenuous that they were actually repulsive.

Then this week during the Power of A brouhaha, Chris Bailey slipped in this powerful paragraph:

If the general public doesn’t understand what associations do, throwing high-minded generalities at them probably isn’t going to help. If you want to build lasting awareness, then help people connect the value of associations to their life on their terms. That last phrase is important. Marketing, PR and the Communication trades are learning the painful way that bludgeoning an already overwhelmed audience with their corporate-driven message is a losing proposition. If you want people to listen now, you have to develop a relationship where your audience wants to know you, wants to know your perspective, and wants to share their own. Connecting value is a two-way dialogue.

I think that's an important point. I generally listen to people with whom I have a relationship. It's more than that, though. Even if I have a relationship with you, I won't listen if you lob "crafted" messages at me. Or at least I'll listen less. Maybe I'm spoiled. Maybe I'm not like most of the rest of the population. But my life is filled with individuals and companies and brands that have learned, somehow, to engage me at a very personal level. So that's where I put my attention. It's just more satisfying.