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Technorati, Ogilvy and verbal diarrhoea
Monday, February 12th, 2007 at 10:31 am
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James Byford and Antony Mayfield have blogged about the Technorati/Ogilvy link-up that was announced last week.
James is probably more troubled by the whole thing than I am. Maybe I’m being oversimplistic in my thinking but this looks to me like a bit of a branding exercise for both parties. Certainly as Antony and Simon Collister noted, Technorati hasn’t shied away from outside investment/partnerships in the past with the Edelman link-up.
The main aspect of the announcement that stands out to me is that much was said in the respective news releases and posts, but it all meant so little. I thought this when I read the initial posts, and Johnnie Moore seems to have been thinking along the same lines.
Johnnie has posted a brilliant critique of some of the copy used in the Technorati/Ogilvy announcements. His post is well worth reading for its analysis of some of the hype and jargon that fills many such announcements.
It’s a worthy warning shot for anyone writing this kind of copy - writing in plain English so people actually know what you mean is so much more powerful than using jargon that disguises your intended meaning. Unless, of course, that’s your intention…
Tags: antony+mayfield, blog, blog+stats, Blogging, blogs, james+byfield, johnnie+moore, Marketing, ogilvy, Public relations, simon+collister, Social media, technorati
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Thursday, March 1st, 2007 at 9:20 pm
Hi Simon
Thanks for the follow-up. Glad that my primary intention: to raise this and see if sparked conversation had the desired effect. Yes you’re probably right, it’s just bland ‘brand synergy crud’ but on the other hand, do you really want to see your ‘favourite’ brands only allowing conversation through mediated channels? The idea dismisses the valuable freerange nature of blogging in my opinion.
Thursday, March 1st, 2007 at 9:53 pm
Thanks for the comment Jim.
I think the “real” authentic user-generated conversations about brands will probably take place in the open blogosphere, rather than on mediated brand-les platforms.
This does make me wonder what the role of brand-led mediated platforms might be - I suspect the most successful brands operating in social media will be those who can competently engage in the open blogosphere, rather than trying to create a sterile social media environment of their own.
Thursday, March 1st, 2007 at 10:09 pm
I think brand-led mediated platforms have existed for a long time. Those I’ve seen and some I’ve worked on masquerade as the community/myspace/digital lifestyle aggregator for [insert topic/market segment] and are often no more alive than a parish hall on a saturday night
Conversational communities online are not complex - it really is about facilitating genuine shared interest and or values. Best one I ever had the privilege of facilitating was the Camping and Caravanning Forum when running AOL Travel ten years back.
It was chocka and the community got it together in the flesh too with Sandy Balls Park in Essex, as I recall, being the favourite knees-up location. Blimey, getting all nostalgic on you
Friday, March 2nd, 2007 at 7:10 am
I agree -it’s the shared interests/values that are behind the community, with the supporting brand/product/service playing a secondary role.
That camping and caravanning forum sounds a riot - makes me want to dig out those hiking boots right now!