Thursday, 19 June 2008

Social Media Experts Are Like Mushrooms & Dove Evolution Is Like Woodstock

Amanita muscaria (fly agaric), NorwayImage via Wikipedia I bumped into this oh so true quote via Gavin -

"If someone tells you they are a social media expert, run" -- Connie Reece

I was joking around with a client the other day about all the agencies popping up social media groups like mushrooms on a old decaying log.

We are in experimentation mode. We are all testing and learning. We are in a few year long public beta where the results of which are only starting to come through. For that reason, there is no ONE proprietary methodology that works. There is no STANDARD for measurement and there are only a sea of opinions rather than any real "experts" on how we should be approaching this new networked marketing model. Anyone who tells you anything different, well, as Connie put it, RUN!

And on a separate ranty note, I think it's funny how the DOVE campaign has become like Woodstock -- apparently all boomers were at Woodstock and similarly, everyone in advertising worked on Dove. I thought I would state for the record that I did NOT work on the Dove campaign and had absolutely NOTHING to do with DOVE evolution.

There I said it. I'm not an social media expert and I didn't work on Dove. I hope you don't think less of me now :)


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10 comments:

David Himel said...

Funny how web 2.0 and social marketing is trying to be understood and sold by advertisers, meanwhile real people are naturally unfolding the web and making money and trying to remain unseen, maybe in the end advertisers will become as relevant as recording companies and cable?

Unknown said...

the record companies are a good parallel.

great post leigh, i think i've spoken to a few dozen people that bragged about "working on dove evolution" at some point. too funny.

(don't get me started on the "social media" gurus, or the word of mouth specialists).

Anonymous said...

I'm glad my quote found its way to you via Gavin. I still stand by it. :-)

Gavin Heaton said...

I think it is time I owned up ... I am a social media charlatan. And proud of it.

Leigh said...

ha...you're all making me laugh...great comments guys

Leigh said...

It's ok ...if you worked with Bryce then I forgive you. But if you claim to be a social media expert, I'll kick you under the table next time we have beers.

Gavin Heaton said...

Think you'll like my latest post. I admit it.

Geoff Craig said...

I really did work on Dove and Evolution for that matter.

Given I am replying to a post a year later, not sure I am much of a social media expert.

Although I am thinking about it!

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