Faking authenticity

I know that a weblog post on a four-month-old article may be equivalent to a baker’s “day-old bread” bin. But if the bread still feeds a hunger, I figure it’s worth the offense. And Bill Breen’s article on authenticity from Fast Company has lots of caloric value for arts and cultural managers, even if it is from May. Says Breen:

Playing the authenticity game in a sophisticated way has become a requirement for every marketer, because the opposite of real isn’t fake–it’s cynicism. When a brand asserts authenticity in a clumsy way, it quickly breeds distrust or, at the very least, disinterest.

While focusing on the commercial world, the article offers lots of little knowledge nuggets (or should I say “knowledge knuggets” — trademark pending) on what can nudge a brand from authentic to fake — from increasing market share to mismatches between message and action (like General Motors celebrating the American working man in their truck ads, while laying off thousands of them from their factories).

But ”authentic” doesn’t mean static, either, as several well-entrenched corporate brands have discovered over time. Says Breen:

To maintain its integrity, a brand must remain true to its values. And yet, to be relevant–or cool–a brand must be as dynamic as change itself. An authentic brand reconciles those two conflicting impulses, finding ways to be original within the context of its history.

It’s a balancing act, to be sure. But it helps to actually care about the work you do, and to build your brand from the shine of true intentions, rather than the sheen of marketing spin.

[ Thanks to Scott for the link! ]