Get Shouty

Tyler Durden has never been a more accurate soothsayer our time (as we, perhaps, seem to be viewing the collapse of financial history) and while his darkly funny neo-fascist dialectic puts its fists against the value system of advertising, perhaps we can learn a little from what he has to say.

• Bit of respect.
  • “Look, the people you are after are the people you depend on. We cook your meals, we haul your trash, we connect your calls, we drive your ambulances. We guard you while you sleep. Do not… fuck with us.”
• Learn. Change. Grow.
  • “I say never be complete, I say stop being perfect, I say let… lets evolve, let the chips fall where they may.”
• Talk about something other than yourself.
  • “You are not a beautiful or unique snowflake”
• Have some perspective.
  • “We are not special.  We are not crap or trash, either.  We just are.  We just are, and what happens just happens.  And God says, “No, that’s not right.”  Yeah.  Well.  Whatever.  You can’t teach God anything”
• Fundamentaly- don’t be fake
  • “Sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken.”

We need to let brands be. Not leave them alone. But let them be human, allow the humans that tell the stories of brands be the brand. If you let go you might just have a near life experience.

I don’t think Tyler would approve of that last paragraph. 😉

Comment by AK October 2, 2008 @ 5:00 pm

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great post.

Comment by charles frith October 3, 2008 @ 12:58 am

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hey AK- Of course he wouldn’t and I’m not too keen on blowing up buildings..It’s a Martinesque challenge to hold two conflicting ideas in constructive tension…

Comment by katiechatfield October 6, 2008 @ 12:28 pm

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I fully agree that brands need to become more human, but I’m not sure that corporate structure is really ready to trust individuals with the face of their brand. Many brands already have a face (customer service), but few are prepared for real human interactivity across their organizations.

What steps do you believe major corporations and brands can take to begin preparing for truly human branding?

Comment by jon burg October 6, 2008 @ 9:30 pm

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To go from a handful of selected people publicly representing the corporation to tens or hundreds of employees is a major shift.

I think companies like Microsoft and IBM are potential case studies. They each have corporate blogging guidelines that help to protect employees and the corporation against risk.

The IBM blogger policy is based on ‘common sense and what has become over the years a blogger code of conduct around the world’.

I grabbed that quote from Robin Fray Carey’s The Corporate Newsletter Goes Social – IBM and Employee-Centered Social Media.

Comment by Mike Hickinbotham October 9, 2008 @ 6:39 am

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@Jon I believe that the steps are about opening up Brand Architecture, developing codes of conduct that facillitate a more organic expression of a brand and empowering people to be a representative of a brand.
This already happens in a retail store front and in call centres and how the interaction is faccilitated is through scripts and uniforms, scenario plans and issue maps- all good launching pads to look at to humanise your brand in the digital space.

@Mike you’re so right- it is a major shift. I think that we can add Dell and H&R Block in there too.

Comment by katiechatfield October 10, 2008 @ 12:54 am

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This is a nice video from Clay Shirky about brands being less perfect and more human.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=jjiXevb11Rk

Comment by Kate Richardson October 14, 2008 @ 7:00 am

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Nice one Kate!

Comment by katiechatfield October 15, 2008 @ 2:03 am

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“if is the little word in life” ME

Comment by jo September 28, 2011 @ 8:15 pm

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