Micro Persuasion: Fear of Losing Control Unites Us All
I agree with Steve on the concept that “we have to encourage our clients to experiment.” Yes, that’s one of the reasons companies hire an outside agency, to push them in ways they may not normally think and to be an external, somewhat more, objective voice on communications strategy and tactics.
I also agree with Frank Shaw in that too much is being made about companies needing to ‘let go of control’ in order to be successful in these ‘new’ communications tactics. If a client wants a sure thing, I tell them to buy an ad.
Our business is all about balancing risk with reward. For example, if you are working with The Wall Street Journal on an article on your client, the reward is a potential positive article that drives business/improves reputation etc., but the risk is that in the process of developing the article the reporter may talk to a disgruntled customer, partner or other voice that could turn the article negative for your client. The risks and rewards haven’t changed that much over the years, but the tools available have.
And to quote from Nicole Kidman as Dr. Lewicki in that superbly underrated (OK not that underrated but I saw it in one of the first theaters with THX and that WAS cool) film “Days of Thunder“:
Dr. Claire Lewicki: Control is an illusion, you infantile egomaniac (our whole PR industry not Steve). Nobody knows what’s gonna happen next: not on a freeway, not in an airplane, not inside our own bodies and certainly not on a racetrack with 40 other infantile egomaniacs.
Filed under: Uncategorized
Anyone who has the chutzpah to not only quote DOT (Long live Rowdy Burns), but to use Nicole Kidman’s screen name in said quote is pure genius (read: sick)
Please see previous post re: “Lunatic Fringe.”