The Age Of Authenticity

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The Age Of Authenticity

By Daniel Tisch on March 4th, 2008

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There’s a Dilbert cartoon in which a media trainer tells the pointy-haired boss to answer every question by saying “It will be good for the stockholders.” Later, when asked why he ran over a stockholder in the parking lot, the boss replies: “It will be good for him.”

Like so much in Dilbert, it’s funny because it rings true. We have all seen newsmakers who are convinced success comes from ignoring journalists’ questions and then saying whatever they want. ‘Just stay on message’ is their refrain.

I call this the “sorcerer’s apprentice” type of spokesperson: he/she knows the importance of delivering a message, but ignoring the question produces a clumsy exchange that erodes the journalist’s trust and makes the audience (literally) tune out.

Having known a lot of journalists over the last 20 years, I find they consistently want three things: they want you to be accurate. They want you to be interesting. And they want you to be authentic.

Authenticity is often undervalued, perhaps because it carries risks.

Look at politics, perhaps the most unforgiving of all lines of work. In January, Hillary Clinton was criticized for getting misty-eyed while talking about serving her country. In February, Ontario opposition leader John Tory was attacked by critics after an emotional leadership review vote when he took a few hours to consult with his family and caucus before committing to remain at his party’s helm.

When such things happen, I find politicians seem less like two-dimensional talking heads on TV and more like three-dimensional people. More honest. More open. More authentic.

The challenge with authenticity is to manage risk while improving return. That is why skilled newsmakers (and their PR advisors) search for those elements of the people they are that will resonate most with their audience.

It’s no surprise that we are seeing historic lows in the influence of traditional sources of authority, and historic highs in the influence of our peers – with the Internet enabling both trends. We abhor that which appears contrived, and embrace that which seems real.

Even when the medium is cool, we crave the warmth of authenticity. Newsmakers who embrace this principle are far more likely to embraced by their audience.