March 2010

How Much Do You Care About the Truth?

March 31, 2010 · 30 comments

You Can't Handle the Truth

“You can’t handle the truth!” So are the immortal words of Mr. Jack Nicholson in ‘A Few Good Men’…

We’re living in a world of information overload, in fact, the word “overload” is even an understatement. Left, right, front, back (side to side) – everywhere you look there’s a news story, a blog post, a tweet – everyone’s talking all the time.

Sometimes, OK, often times it feels like we’re running in circles, don’t you think? It’s noisy out there. And while it can be exciting, compelling, entertaining, and thought provoking, it’s virtually impossible to keep up with.

David Spinks, someone I very much respect – a guy that is light-years ahead of where I was at his age, wrote a great post recently on the value and trust we place on all of the content we’re consuming. In his post, David makes an extremely valid point that I 100% agree with.

The Ol’ Belief that “Sex Sells”

What we’re seeing, more and more, is not so much a pursuit of truthful, fact based, resource-supported content – but instead a heavy emphasis on the “now” – the latest news, the hottest, most popular buzz-worthy content we can get our hands on. David says:

Today, credibility in content is determined by who and how many share it. As credibility becomes increasingly determined by sharability the value of the truth is driven downward.

This is the way our society in general is programmed to think – this is the type of content that “sells” and gets people talking. But what we’re seeing is a total blur of what’s truthful and what isn’t – content manufactured simply to create a buzz. And what’s scary is we’re starting to almost not care about honesty – it’s increasingly becoming more about who said it and where they said it. The online world has become one big “who you gonna’ believe?” popularity contest. I want out.

Ted Koppel (Nightline Ted Koppel) stepped on to the stage last week of the IRI CPG Summit immediately following a panel I was involved with, and he talked about this exact “blur” of information.

Paraphrasing, Ted praised the Internet for what it has done and continues to do with the sharing of information, but also criticised it in an almost fearful way, stating that in today’s online world, there’s no way to truly know who these ‘information sharers’ are or what there intent is. We can’t say beyond a shadow of a doubt that what anyone is saying online is true (of course the same can be said for “traditional” media) but it’s much more prevalent in the online world.

That being said, here I am, sitting back and thinking, “Do we even care about the truth these days? Or are we so focused on immediacy and the popularity of the information source that we’re easily blinded from what’s really REAL”?

The New Dawn of Blogging and Information Sharing

Referring back to David’s post and the comments thereafter, I think we’re going to, in time, see a further evolution of blogging and information sharing that is founded in credibility and research. Why? Because over time, the public will demand the truth, they’ll demand proof. The popularity contest will never go away, but that popularity will be founded more-so in honesty and credibility and less in sensational writing. We (collectively) will evolve into more educated and well versed readers who will question and challenge writers and what they’re writing. It’s not going to happen tomorrow and it may get worse before it gets better, but the future of online content will require the cold hard facts.

In short, you better be ready to back shit up.

What do you think? What do you see happening today when it comes to popularity versus honesty? Is there a defining line? Where do you see “online media” heading in the future? Can we handle the truth? Do we even want it?

Why I Made the Switch (Back to) DISQUS for Blog Comments

March 29, 2010 · 85 comments

Conversation. The end…OK, I’ll provide  a little more explanation than that. There are two primary reasons why I decided, after a 12 month hiatus from DISQUS, I decided to give it another shot.

1) Customer Service

Case 1: Back in January we had a good conversation here at Life Without Pants about DISQUS versus “standard” WordPress commenting, we weighed the pros and cons and addressed our concerns. The post attracted Giannii, one of the reps over at DISQUS, to come by and answer any questions and provide what I thought was outstanding customer service.

You may say, “Well, he was just doing his job” - and you’d probably be right, but it’s something like this that can really have a positive impact and leave a lasting impression. It worked, because here I am today, a new-found brand evangelist for DISQUS (as a result of excellent service). Companies wondering how to get involved and engaged with bloggers and Social Media types out there should take note of the DISQUS approach – you don’t have to “sell” – you just need to be present, engaged, and provide assistance, while going even just slightly above what the competition is doing to ensure your “users” are getting the most value out of your product/service.

Case 2: I was having trouble importing all of my WordPress comments over to DISQUS so I sent out a ‘tweet’ and, within an hour or two, there Giannii was again offering to personally help with the transition. A day later, my problem was resolved. Attentive, timely, responsive – again, things that add up to a positive service experience.

2) Conversation

This IS why I made the switch - I had been pondering it for a while and then DShan brought it to my attention again last week – DISQUS, at it’s core, is here because it will further encourage conversation. Previously, if anyone replied to your comment here, you’d only receive notification if you “subscribed” to the comments of the post. So obviously a lot of people are going to miss that. But the problems don’t end there (with standard WordPress). If you ARE subscribed to a thread, you receive an email notification for EVERY comment that appears following yours – aka extremely annoying if you were the first to comment and then get stuck receiving 100 follow-up emails about new comments when you just want to go about your day.

With DISQUS, it tactfully encourages the conversation to continue by sending automatic email notification to the user if there is a reply to THEIR specific comment. Many times, conversation has fallen flat here simply because a person doesn’t know that anyone ever replied to them. By going with DISQUS, you eliminate that unknown and encourage your readers to keep tabs on the conversation and participate beyond their first comment. Conversation is the bread and butter of any blog, and this should only further promote my ‘conversation philosophy’.

I welcome back DISQUS in with open arms – here’s to hoping she treats me well over the long haul.

(If you’re thinking of making the move or need any help with DISQUS, feel free to give me a shout and I’ll be more than happy to lend a hand).

Friday Quick Hits: What Millennials Want, Airport Inspiration, & Real Jobs

March 26, 2010 · 11 comments

Friday Quick Hits

Alright folks – this week was nuts. The days and weeks are starting to blur together…and it’s already almost April? WTF mate? So – I apologize but being out of town this week threw me off and greatly limited the amount of time I had to put together my beloved Friday tradition here. Fear not though, I’ve assembled a few of the best from around the web this week – can’t miss posts that you’d be doing yourself a disservice by NOT checking out.

I mentioned being out of town – I had the honor and privilege of speaking at the IRI CPG Summit in San Antonio with 3 other amazing Gen-Yers as we chatted about “Marketing to Millennials“ in front of 1,000+ retail exec’s. It was a great time, AWESOME conversation that will inspire many future posts here and possibly a few new projects. For a recap, head over to the CPG Summit site and check out the video from Day 2 – or stop by Brandweek for their feature on our Panel.

What were some of your blog highlights from this week? Better yet, what NEW blog discoveries did you make?

In Love with Who Again?

March 24, 2010 · 68 comments

Addicted to the Internet

The following is a guest post from Lindsey Tramuta. Lindsey and I had a great conversation about this very topic a couple weeks ago and I’m thrilled she decided to share her thoughts here on Life Without Pants. Lindsey is the creator of Lost In Cheeseland. She is a Paris transplant from Philadelphia, married to a Frenchman and on a permanent quest to understand the idiosyncrasies of the French. In real life, she is in charge of Marketing & Communications for an online multi-brand boutique. Check her out!

I can’t explain it to him. I’ve tried, and I sense a gleam in his eyes that leads me to believe he is making an effort to understand. Still, my growing addiction is just far beyond comprehension to him.

Oh wait, you thought I meant…? No, I’m not addicted to drugs. Something far worse. I’m afflicted with the same thing plaguing the majority of gen y – the internet. But more specifically, social media. I don’t even like that term anymore, social media, because it somehow implies real socializing. Not to minimize the virtual relationships I’ve developed over twitter, blogs and subsequently through email, but it’s not socializing in the intended sense of the term, especially not in the way my husband interprets it.

What’s the value of Social Media?

The value of social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook is undeniable and has been argued into the ground. I can show my husband all of Mashable’s articles about social media and explain to him that these tools really do make us more productive, but no matter what I say or how I frame it, I’m in love with my computer in his eyes. Better yet, I’m more interested in spending my evenings (after a long day behind the computer mind you) reading and tweeting and writing and blogging and wedging myself further into this world that he has no interest in entering. Can I blame him for feeling this way? Absolutely not. I know, however, that it is not about finding other people more interesting or placing more value in people I don’t physically know than in him.

It’s about learning – about myself and others and pulling inspiration from the hundreds of comments and articles posted daily across many media platforms. I don’t think I’ve learned this much about a myriad of topics even when I was in school which has convinced me that there is something to be said for self-education. But at what cost?

I start to feel strange when I haven’t checked twitter, email, Facebook and the blogs I follow. There is a sense of discomfort (withdrawal) that is very hard to describe but it exists. I’m foolishly convinced I’ll miss out on something of colossal importance which is thus the root of the problem. For so long I worried about missing something in the US since I live in Paris, be it with my family and friends or even national events, and now I’m worried about missing something online. The point was certainly not to swap one issue for another.

I don’t want to feel inhibited by the internet…

It has a luring force and community spirit but it does not take the place of outings with family and friends. Internet Addiction Disorder has already been established as a reality and interferes significantly with daily life. I would not say it interferes negatively with my daily life but it certainly occupies much of my time and energy, apparently to the detriment of my relationship.

In January, Matt did a post about how every blogger should have a non-blogger spouse, and I agree completely. In theory, the inactive social media user reminds us that while it’s rewarding to develop relationships made virtually (and important for networking), it’s face-to-face time that should take precedence. So long as balance is upheld with sufficient non-virtual bonding time, the non-blogger should be supportive and encouraging of the blogging spouse’s endeavors. In all honesty, I have yet to find this balance. I know that my husband is overjoyed that I have found my niche on and off line in Paris and that all the reading and writing I do makes me happy, but he feels rejected and cast aside. More than anything I wish he could share the fulfillment and celebrate my successes with me as I would with him.

Passions and hobbies are as important to individual development as they are to the health of a relationship but not when they usurp the time you spend together. I wish he would be more involved in and receptive to my passions and he wishes I would step away from the computer and focus on him. I believe I should be able to do both, the trick is finding that balance.

How have you had to make concessions in your inter-personal relationships vis à vis your blogging and social media use?

How Do You Market to a Millennial?

March 22, 2010 · 53 comments

How Do You Market to a Millennial?

I‘m 24 years old – and at my age, I represent a demographic of individuals we so commonly refer to as “Generation Y” – or, if you prefer, the “Millennials”. We were born and raised during a period of technological innovation never before conceived. We sat up on AIM for hours chatting with our friends back in middle school – we downloaded illegal music on Napster – we “blogged” about our social lives on Xanga and Livejournal – we were the early adopters of Myspace until, well, it got totally lame and a hangout for creepy folks – we vividly remember when Facebook first hit our college campus, back in the day when everyone was friends with everyone and after that party on Saturday night, you went back the next day and added all those people you downed a shot with and vaguely recall from your half-drunk stupor, only to occasionally post “We should hang out some time” on their wall. You know what I’m talking about.

Raised on Tech

We’ve been there, we’ve been through it all (or at least a lot). We are the Millennial generation and we’re more in tune with technology and the online world than ever before. Can you even imagine a world without the Internet? The first thing that comes to my mind is all-out anarchy. People setting things on fire, looting retail stores and running naked through the streets. It’s unfathomable, really.

You already know all this – you understand where YOU stand in modern day “connected” world that we live in.

But a lot of folks don’t  - we (collectively) present a hell of a challenge to companies  and marketers everywhere. How does a business communicate with the people of our generation? Why are marketers making the shift from more traditional (TV, radio, print) mediums in favor of the Internet?

On Wednesday, I have the pleasure and honor of sharing the stage with three individuals who are doing big things and command a lot of respect at the CPG Retail Summit in San Antonio. Lauren Fernandez, Adrienne Waldo, Kenji Summers, and yours truly will be center stage in front of 1,000+ corporate executives, PR reps, and marketers who want to know ONE thing: “How do you market to a Millennial”?

The (Marketing) Game has Changed for Generation Y

The game has changed – that goes without saying. We live in a “sales” environment nowadays that is much less about sales and much more about influencing and making an impression. We (again, generalizing and referring to the “collective” Gen Y population) don’t want to be sold to – we don’t respond well to the generic sales pitch and in short, it’s a big turn off.

We have the tools at our disposal to make our own buying decisions easier than ever before. Think about what you do before you buy something online. More than likely you read reviews, sample it (music), and do significant research before dropping a dime.

The “old school” sales process is dead in the water – we’re making our own buying decisions. But that doesn’t mean we’re not influenced (sometimes VERY easily) especially by people we trust – friends – colleagues – other connections and people we respect. And that’s where the money’s at for the businesses out there – researching, listening, monitoring, and targeting the influencers out there – not (only) as a business, but as a friend, as a trusted resource, as someONE who is genuinely interested in making a connection and building a relationship.

How Do You Market to a Millennial?

On Wednesday I’ll be sharing the stage with a group of Gen Y influencers, hand picked to address this exact topic. I want to bring some of YOUR thoughts and ideas to the table – and would love for you to sound off below in the comments in response to the following questions:

  • How often do you shop online?
  • Has Social Media changed the way you shop?
  • What are your biggest motivators when making (online) purchase decisions?
  • How should marketers focus on “tapping into” our generation? What good (or bad) examples do you have of a company “selling” to you?
  • What causes YOU to become “loyal” to a particular brand?

(Image c/o didE)

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