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f social media has taught brands, marketers and PR teams one thing, it’s that all information will eventually get out, and once it’s out it’ll take on a life of its own. From


poorly judged customer service Tweets to full-blown corporate scandals, transparency has transformed the relationship between brands and consumers. And underpinning the new glass house is authenticity. “Acting and communicating


authentically are no longer choices for brands,” says Jake Dubbins, Managing Director at brand entertainment agency Media Bounty. “Digital and social have changed the way they communicate forever. If a brand’s trying to paint itself as socially responsible, ethical and


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sustainable it’ll be found out if it’s not. The beauty of this new world is the outcome of transparency. Will consumers buy the brands who do not give a shit? Will people want to work for them? Will agencies want to collaborate with them? I will be very surprised if big oil, big tobacco and big arms are able to attract and retain the best talent in the future.”


EARN YOUR REPUTATION So what exactly are we talking about


when we talk about authentic marketing? For anyone outside the industry the notion may sound suspiciously oxymoronic. But as Pete Shea, a digital business expert who’s worked at Amazon, Sony and Tesco,


40 issue 26 november 2015


points out, “Authenticity in digital marketing is not a departure from authenticity in any other environment. You can’t expect success by marketing a façade. Being true to your brand and experience is key. It’s what establishes trust and reflects authenticity. Challenge each piece of your digital marketing puzzle and ask, ‘If my customer only saw this before buying from me, would it be an honest reflection of my business and product?’ If you can answer ‘yes’ every time, it’s authentic.” In their book Authenticity in Culture,


Self and Society, Phillip Vannini and J. Patrick Williams point to an abiding notion in contemporary culture. “The authentic stands against replicas, pretence and posing… Authenticity is to


FEATURE JON FORTGANG


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