Page 6 - October / November Stratigic Marketing Magazine Africa
P. 6
e Simpson is the Editor of Strategic Marketing. He has inmyopinion
30-plus years’ experience in the global media industry and has
worked in the print and electronic sectors, as well as in public informed insight infront
relations and marketing.
Are we honest about
being authentic?
Being ‘authentic’ is one of marketing’s newer buzz-phrases. But Mike
Simpson questions whether it’s all hype and little substance …
A t the moment I’m reading If there are authentic marketing rid of the corporate mumbo-jumbo
and hearing a lot – including messages like that out there, I’ve and speaking more plainly
in this edition’s ‘2015 Trends’ obviously missed them. and directly to customers, that’s
article – about the need for marketing not being authentic, it’s merely
to be more authentic. I’m not going to ‘Authentic’, by its Oxford Dictionary sounding authentic.
knock a noble intention, particularly definition, means ‘genuine’. Is the
at a time when we face significant automated message that tells callers Perhaps it’s doing what you say you’ll
societal challenges around basic “we apologise for the inconvenience” do. ‘Same day service’ means precisely
morality, integrity and accountability. really genuine? During the protracted that, without a lengthy disclaimer and
But I have a few problems with this. series of postal strikes we’ve endured, all manner of legal loopholes. Ditto with
Firstly, does marketing really have was the Post Office being genuine in ‘we’ll match any price’, ‘money-back
the capacity to be authentic and tell sticking with its slogan of ‘We deliver, guarantee’ and so on. That’s genuine.
the truth to customers and potential
customers? This may sound like heresy First we have to So the first challenge is for marketers
in a publication dedicated to the work out what being to agree on what being ‘authentic’ is
business of marketing, but the problem all about – and, more importantly, to
is that marketing is, by its nature, ‘authentic’ is get consumers to buy into the same
about accentuating the positives and definition. But even if we achieve this
minimising the negatives. whatever it takes’, when surely the utopian scenario, there’s a bigger
genuine slogan should have read problem: what’s the good of marketers
After all, when last did you see an something like ‘We’d love to deliver, but being truly authentic in word and deed
advertisement for a luxury product don’t have what it takes’? if the rest of the company is pulling in
that said “We could actually charge another direction?
you 50% less and still make a good Given its well-documented problems,
profit, but we’re taking advantage of should Eskom’s slogan of ‘Powering How can you expect your target
your over-sized ego”? Or what about your world’ rather change to a more market to buy into your organisation’s
a car manufacturer’s ad that reads: genuine ‘Powering your world – ‘authenticity’ if top managers have
“The fuel consumption figure we’re providing you buy your own generator’? just awarded themselves obscene pay
quoting was obtained by a highly Okay, the parastatals tend to be easy increases, the CEO has been found to
qualified professional driver in perfect targets, but hopefully you get my drift … be dodgy, Greenpeace has rumbled your
conditions and on a perfect road. environmental dirty deeds, or you’ve
Because you probably drive like What then does being an ‘authentic’ fallen foul of the competition laws?
an idiot, your consumption will be brand really mean? If it means getting
60% higher”? Being authentic is a nice idea. But first
we have to work out what it is and then
everyone has to walk the walk. Until we
do, it’s just talking the talk …
4 strategicmarketing February–March 2015
30-plus years’ experience in the global media industry and has
worked in the print and electronic sectors, as well as in public informed insight infront
relations and marketing.
Are we honest about
being authentic?
Being ‘authentic’ is one of marketing’s newer buzz-phrases. But Mike
Simpson questions whether it’s all hype and little substance …
A t the moment I’m reading If there are authentic marketing rid of the corporate mumbo-jumbo
and hearing a lot – including messages like that out there, I’ve and speaking more plainly
in this edition’s ‘2015 Trends’ obviously missed them. and directly to customers, that’s
article – about the need for marketing not being authentic, it’s merely
to be more authentic. I’m not going to ‘Authentic’, by its Oxford Dictionary sounding authentic.
knock a noble intention, particularly definition, means ‘genuine’. Is the
at a time when we face significant automated message that tells callers Perhaps it’s doing what you say you’ll
societal challenges around basic “we apologise for the inconvenience” do. ‘Same day service’ means precisely
morality, integrity and accountability. really genuine? During the protracted that, without a lengthy disclaimer and
But I have a few problems with this. series of postal strikes we’ve endured, all manner of legal loopholes. Ditto with
Firstly, does marketing really have was the Post Office being genuine in ‘we’ll match any price’, ‘money-back
the capacity to be authentic and tell sticking with its slogan of ‘We deliver, guarantee’ and so on. That’s genuine.
the truth to customers and potential
customers? This may sound like heresy First we have to So the first challenge is for marketers
in a publication dedicated to the work out what being to agree on what being ‘authentic’ is
business of marketing, but the problem all about – and, more importantly, to
is that marketing is, by its nature, ‘authentic’ is get consumers to buy into the same
about accentuating the positives and definition. But even if we achieve this
minimising the negatives. whatever it takes’, when surely the utopian scenario, there’s a bigger
genuine slogan should have read problem: what’s the good of marketers
After all, when last did you see an something like ‘We’d love to deliver, but being truly authentic in word and deed
advertisement for a luxury product don’t have what it takes’? if the rest of the company is pulling in
that said “We could actually charge another direction?
you 50% less and still make a good Given its well-documented problems,
profit, but we’re taking advantage of should Eskom’s slogan of ‘Powering How can you expect your target
your over-sized ego”? Or what about your world’ rather change to a more market to buy into your organisation’s
a car manufacturer’s ad that reads: genuine ‘Powering your world – ‘authenticity’ if top managers have
“The fuel consumption figure we’re providing you buy your own generator’? just awarded themselves obscene pay
quoting was obtained by a highly Okay, the parastatals tend to be easy increases, the CEO has been found to
qualified professional driver in perfect targets, but hopefully you get my drift … be dodgy, Greenpeace has rumbled your
conditions and on a perfect road. environmental dirty deeds, or you’ve
Because you probably drive like What then does being an ‘authentic’ fallen foul of the competition laws?
an idiot, your consumption will be brand really mean? If it means getting
60% higher”? Being authentic is a nice idea. But first
we have to work out what it is and then
everyone has to walk the walk. Until we
do, it’s just talking the talk …
4 strategicmarketing February–March 2015
