'Word of Mouth' is a buzz word in this industry. Often it's used as a veil to make brands or personalities seem more genuine and on the level in a 'street' sense by masking the very determined and calculated marketing campaigns that prop them up. Often it adds up to little more than a self-propagated myth used by brands to make you think that their product is popular purely because it must really be that good. So good that it makes people want to rejoice and spread the good news of its earthly coming. 

I remember when there were only a couple of articles and references to Bape around on the net, and they would state matter of factly that Bape had made it's mega millions simply by 'word of mouth'.  No one seemed to notice the monthly Japanese print advertorials in Smart and the like, the high profile product placement and celebrity endorsements that may also have had some remote effect on the brand's phenomenal recognition and popularity.

The point is that yes, there really is something called 'word of mouth' promotion, but no, few brands or commentators seem to know what it  is really is or how to cultivate it in a rich and enduring way.

Word of mouth marketing is a skill and frame of mind that allows you to connect with people by thinking about them, learning about them, and becoming a part of their lives.

Self serving PR, on the other hand, is just BS.

'Word of mouth', in reality, is just effective, reciprocal communication. There's a lot of buzz words and shiny paradigms in marketing, but there's really only one truth: Communication is either effective or it's not. There's no middle ground. All hyped-up marketing or communicative strategies really are just rephrasing the same age old question: How do we communicate effectively? How do we sustain open dialogue?

And there's only one real answer.

Give them something they want, something that's in their heads. Listen and learn about them. Actally give a shit about them.

I'm thinking this all aloud because I've just read a blog post by a friend who gives a behind the scenes insight into what it's like dealing with a company (or more accurately, the remote regional arm of a giant global brand) that should be at the heart of this culture, but which in reality only seems interested in mooching from it. When a brand tries to generate word of mouth by faking it. By pretending to have interest in and respect for a culture just because it thinks it can make a fast buck from it by playing sleight-of-hand coin tricks with their own heritage. 

What gives all you plastic PR baby dolls the right to think you deserve any of the money being earned off a legendary brand identity that you had no role in creating? A brand identity you have no feel for or deep historical understanding of. A brand identity that emerged from our culture and has been shared with your parent company in goodwill?

Say what you will about Nike, at least Nike get it. They at least have people on their books who genuinely want to be a part of this creative community- not the other way around.

Anyway, read this.

- Anthony