Apparently, I’m an Evil Liar…
As if being called a “Web Hippie” last week wasn’t enought…
At the bloggerslosher Menlo Park get together an interesting conversation erupted as a non-marketer voiced his opinion.
We asked for his opinion as the social media, PR and community marketing folks wanted to know and understand the perceptions of our industry, here’s what he said:
Marketers are Liars.
Being a techie guy, he felt that marketers trick, lie, customers. They bait and switch: when offering X, they really deliver Y. They were no good, and they probaly don’t wash their hands after using the restroom (ok I’m getting dramatic). He certainly had a negative impression of Marketers and PR folks, that it was a lot of spin, bs, and a think layer of gloss added to make products attractive to customers.
UnMarketing and Anti-Marketing Marketing
Many folks (like myself) and those present at the party are trying to change that, trying to fix it, and morph the industry. We clearly know that customers are taking charge with social media tools (blogs, forums, podcasts). We’re trying to be customer advocates, customers resources and promote transparency and openness. We want to build trust between employees and a customer and foster a dialogue that will eventually build a relationship. We want companies to admit when they are wrong and includes customers to help fix it. We don’t want to hide, we want to embrace.
Seth Godin Says Consumers want Stories
I hope that this respected individuals opinion will be swayed over the discussion we had. We could also explore Seth Godin’s book that “All Marketers are Liars” which suggests it’s consumers that are wanting Marketers to tell them a ’story’ a brand, in order to make them feel good.
Talk back –what’s your impression of Marketers and what should they do about it?
(Thanks Jackie for organizing the event –it was a success, juicy conversations included, my pictures here, and all pics tagged svbloggerslosher06)
Edit: I do enjoy Damon’s thoughts, and Mario’s as well, in fact they were there when we had this discussion.
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[…] The Anti-Marketer: Jeremiah had a neat write-up this morning on some of the questions we new-age marketers faced from the tech-side. There seems to be a preponderance of thought that all “marketers are liars” (Thanks, Seth). Damon, Jeremiah and I, made the case that marketing is changing, re-inventing itself, and we hope to be at the forefront of that. What do you say, fellow marketers? […]
Hi Jeremiah,
Thanks to Seth, we are now branded as evil liars?! Hehe… I’m glad that with the advent of the Cluetrain the future augurs well for marketing as a whole.
I also think marketing gets to pay for some of the evils of sales (read evil liars).
Glad to be a part of the discussion.
Great event!
Mario
Oh well, things never change. Back when I was doing a mix of marketing and project management, I was regularly referred to as “marketing slime” by my company’s programmers — and this was after they allowed me to attend their meetings so we could do a better job of selling their services!
Thanks Mario
It’s a discussion worth having –those who get on the cluetrain will thrive..
Dennis
How ironic –the group you were trying to make presentable was in itself not presentable.
Thanks for sharing
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