Comments on: Walking The “Be Human” Line In Social Media

By: Lisa Barone

Lisa Barone — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:03:07 +0000

Exactly. It’s about finding the line for you and then making sure we’re all on the same page with you.

By: Lisa Barone

Lisa Barone — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:02:21 +0000

Ha, I admit that I have not tasted Buckley’s, but, see, now I’m curious. :)

And that’s an awesome story. It’s one you’ll remember and share. That’s marketing.

By: Lisa Barone

Lisa Barone — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:01:37 +0000

I don’t think it’s a matter of “thinking about being human” its remembering what the feels like. :) We’re so used to talking to consumers in a certain way that sometimes it feels awkward to change it up.

By: Lisa Barone

Lisa Barone — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:46:49 +0000

When I was born? ;)

By: Lisa Barone

Lisa Barone — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:46:33 +0000

Thanks, Eric. I think it’s important that we DON’T immediately jump on brands the minute they goof. We’re all encouraging them to enter the waters, to talk to us, and then they slip and we bop them on the head. It’s not productive, IMO. However, I do think there’s always something we can learn from these types of slip ups. They’re universal.

By: Leanne

Leanne — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:08:02 +0000

“I’d venture that most cough syrups tastes pretty awful, but Buckley’s is the only one I know of that admits it, uses it, and doesn’t apologize for it. ”

Clearly you’ve never tasted Buckley’s… Most cough syrups *do* taste pretty awful but this one is exceptionally awful. What makes them so effective in admitting it is that they also (or at least did a few years ago when I still lived in Canada and tried it) back it with a money-back guarantee. If it tastes awful to you and doesn’t work, we’ll give you your money back. And they make good on it. They gave me my money back.

By: Laurie

Laurie — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:15:03 +0000

Good post, Lisa! It’s really a matter of balance, isn’t it? Striking that balance between excessive formality/corporatespeak, and inappropriate talking-as-if-you’re-drunk-in-your-best-friend’s-dorm-room casualness. Not everyone has good judgment around that – as you pointed out, companies need to be explicit in their policies and definition of “appropriate.”

By: Mark Longbottom

Mark Longbottom — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:52:28 +0000

@Eric absolutely take time and be relevant, I do like the idea of when best to be human – all the time. If businesses need to think about being human then for me there is the problem and a result of the mass marketing, advertising and greed from the back end of the 20th century which became a by product for the industrial revolution.

Back to being human and what as humans we have always done well for over 100,000 years and that is basically communicating and building communities. Which is now much much easier to do with the available technology, using strategic planning and guidance. Making mistake will happen as that’s also being human, the winners will do as suggested and work it out by talking about it with all concerned.

By: Todd Mintz

Todd Mintz — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:50:10 +0000

Making public jokes about people with disabilities went out of fashion about 1982…

By: Eric Marshall

Eric Marshall — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:45:19 +0000

Lisa – I applaud you for pointing out Chobani’s mistake and not completely assaulting them for it (even though that may have been justified). You used their negative example (that you were directly involved with and that they took responsibility for and apologized for) and turned it into a positive that you passed along to all of us, and I think that’s a social media lesson all in itself. It seems that too frequently individuals and companies are so quick to take offense and go on the attack…and with social media it’s way too easy and/or tempting to do. Social media is so awesome and powerful because it is instant, but I think sometimes we need to slow down and think about the ramifications of what we’re going to say or how we’re going to respond to others.