Notes on Authenticity
by A. Bleecker
Oct. 7th, 2019
Queen Palm Media Insights
Find the 'Human Side' of Your Brand
A current client engagement has us studying the buying habits and preferences of millennials. Here at QPM, I like to make a big deal out of the fact that I count myself among millennials, while my business partner, being one year older than me, is a Gen X-er (she is not fond of this emphasis).
Authenticity comes up often, as—according to Google—millennials look for the ‘human side’ of a brand. This got me thinking about a podcast that’s become as much a part of my morning routine as making coffee and blasting Kenny Loggins to wake up my pre-teen.
While Kenny plays in the bedroom, in the kitchen, Michael Barbaro’s voice announces: “From the New York Times, this is The Daily.”
For 20 minutes a day, 5 days a week, Michael delivers a deep dive into the hottest current event, most often by interviewing whichever New York Times correspondent is closest to the story. When the story was “When #MeToo Went on Trial,” for example, Michael interviewed Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, the NYT’s investigative reporters now famous for uncovering longtime sexual harassment abuses.
I believe one reason for The Daily’s long-running popularity is that it leaves in the ‘behind-the-scenes’ content that bookends any recorded broadcast—audio or otherwise—and is edited out for the final cut. The Daily interviews begin with the sound of a ringing telephone as Michael calls a NYT correspondent. If he calls a hotel, we hear him talk to the front desk person. We hear the bizarre hold music while front desk person connects him. We hear the first 30 seconds of small talk, often a joke about the quality of the hold music. In short, it’s the content that usually gets cut because it’s not a part of the official interview.
I love hearing this banter between two people about to go on the air in a pre-arranged and recorded phone call. I find it disarming, endearing even. Of course I’m curious to see a glimpse into the unscripted life of a NYT correspondent. Who wouldn’t be curious to know how Michael & Co. manage to publish 20 minutes of audio on the most relevant current event EVERY SINGLE DAY?
Authenticity for B2C vs B2B Brands
One could argue that these ‘behind-the-scene’ glimpses are only appropriate for B2C brands that need to capture consumer attention with a daring approach. B2B companies, however, sell solutions and services that are typically delivered on an ongoing basis, so B2B brands need to convey values like longevity, reliability, and trustworthiness (more on that here).
Still, on the individual level, authenticity can be a point of differentiation. If you’ve been part of the decision-making team vetting an enterprise software solution, third-party provider, or agency, you’ve sat through a sales presentation. Like the nightly news, the sales presentation is a set of formatted interactions executed and coordinated by a team of people. By that I mean it’s predictable and practiced. You do not see ‘behind the scenes’ by design. Which is precisely why something like banter between the presenting colleagues feels like a lifeline in a sea of boredom, and can cement you in the memory of people who’ve seen a multitude of sales presentations.
How to ‘Find’ Your Story—An Example
In a cosmic alignment, stroke of luck—what have you, one of our clients happens to be an up-and-coming wine producer (we like wine). Because they’re smart and understand the value of seeing things firsthand, they flew Annie and me to LA to meet their team and tour the markets in which they plan to launch a new label (first in LA and then nationally).
Our guides and drivers for the day, the CEO and VP of Sales & Marketing, are good friends who met freshman year of college in New Orleans many moons ago. Our whirlwind market tour was in LA, which meant we had a lot of time in the car as we criss-crossed the city in varying levels of traffic, which meant we heard two long-time friends banter back and forth all day, which meant I cried and my cheeks hurt from laughing.
Annie and I gleaned so much from that day. Once back at home, it was easy to put words to what we’d discussed and observed with the team in LA: brand values, personality, guidelines, etc. all flowed from what we’d witnessed and absorbed. Which is why, one month later, I was surprised to see their CEO had responded “N/A” on a designer’s questionnaire when asked whether the company had a unique story behind it (side note: this is the perfect example of why and how a ‘fresh set of eyes’ are needed).
The unique story underpinning their company is that four friends met in college, graduated, and moved to different cities to pursue careers in food and wine. Many years later, they met up in Las Vegas, and over a weekend of debauchery and conversation, realized that they’d each independently noticed a surprisingly untapped segment of the wine market.
This is not a N/A story. How many movies begin with old friends getting together in Vegas?