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What Do Hitler, Apple Stock, And Luke Bryan Have In Common?
October 14, 2014
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The answer to the headline is: nothing.
But somehow, a radio station (whose identity I've hidden) managed to tie all three together on Facebook recently:
I've blocked the station's name because this isn't about calling someone out -- it never is. This is more about opportunity to have dialogue over a really weird and distasteful post…to learn and grow from it.
One of the issues with this post is that the station managed to trivialize the nearly 11 million people murdered during the Holocaust -- 6 million of them Jews -- all in the name of winning tickets in a radio contest.
Another issue is that posts like this are a testament to how shallow some brands continue to be socially, relying on superficial interplay to attract "likes" and comments.
But things like this happen when brands suffer from vanity.
van·i·ty
[van-i-tee] adjective noun
Excessive pride in one's appearance, qualities, abilities, achievements, etc.; character or quality of being vain; conceit:Ego-driven, vanity-ridden tactics can erode a brand -- quickly.
That's because empty transactions are forgettable (and at times annoying). But also the amount of "likes" or retweets that are born out of trivial communication does not equate to creating brand impact nor does it measure the quality and depth of the fans' affinity.
To bait people for interaction handicaps brands from developing honest motivated relationships.
It stunts you from experiencing the benefits of social -- serving, responding, being anticipated; the fundamentals that keep fans coming back for more.
Social media is not a volume business where you collect "likes," comments, and retweets, but rather it's an opportunity to be a real differentiator - standing out from the pack.
It comes down to culture -- which is at the core of everything we do. And if your station is without real principles that enhance that culture, you'll continue to struggle with why social matters and worse, the fans will question why you matter in their social lives.
Our chances are limited to be a part of our audience's social lives. Therefore, it's imperative that our communications are true to what we are, and the role we play in their lives.
Focus on meaningful impact.
How we're behaving in this space is a large part of how our brands are being defined right now. How is your station defining itself?
Let go of vanity tactics that lead to vain metrics.
Place more emphasis on humanizing the brand (what you do), and reinforcing your reputation (what people remember).
Reach out to me anytime on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or Twitter.
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