Reduced to a selling agent (er, uh, a "fan")

Look at my smart, fetching and long-time colleague David Berkowitz over there. This, a colleague friend whom I brainstorm with, value his opinions and ask him to review my articles before they publish.

Why?  Because of the trust I have in him, and his professional judgment.

(He is also the marketer who got me blogging folks.)

Now he's plastered above a DVD rental-joint banner (full story here). And at the same time--and for about five hours straight--my professional and personal principles just see red.

(No, of course he didn't "allow" this, nor was it intentional).

A very good convo is over at David's place. I suggest you check it out when you have time. Rest assured, I have hit the legal limit of comments allowed from one person over there, until 2009.

My hope?

That the future doesn't look like more of this. (but I do hope to see more of David).

My fear? That it will.

I just can't get out of my stubborn head that the responsibility is on us--yes, us as marketers--to better guide the other marketers. I see it as a precedent-setting time where we can, in fact, do a lot of good and make a lot of money.

But not this way.

PS: A day ago is the first I got wind of this tactic as I can't "see" over at FB anymore.

PPS: To any company reading this that does not understand what's "wrong with this picture," I will happily and free of charge have an insightful call with you about using these tools to create value and create a stronger medium (not a dollar-store bonanza). That is not a sales strategy on my part--let's face it, I'm NO "FAN" of such gimmicks as above--I'd just like to explain how to contribute instead of contaminate as we forge ahead. It's called long-term, customer-centric thinking...and it works like a charm ;-).

Comments

[Mario Vellandi]

You're saying a program shouldn't have a double angle, where one half exploits the other.
I think the acid test is if one party's cognizance yields any unsettling feeling toward the other, it's time to revisit and revise. All of this best within the confine's of a testing & validation phase before release.
Facebook's size doesn't allow it an excuse card.
If CraigsList had a social network, I'd be apt to be around them because their brand conveys respect.

[CK]

@Mario: You're far smarter and more eloquent than I. You are spot on. And yes, I'm amazed they didn't test this...with their users and evangelists? It's so strange. Like, alternate universe strange for a SM player not to alpha at all.

[Jonathan Trenn]

As usual, I find myself in agreement with you but disagreeing semantically. It see it as the job of an entire organization (or at least all involved in the marketing/communications apparatus as opposed to just us marketers) to fight this.

But when I see how CEOs and CMOs (who, if I remember have a life span of 19 months on average) think, it ain't gonna happen. I see internet analysts such as Debra Aho Williamson praise Facebook for "pushing the envelope" albeit awkwardly, I begin to realize that there's a huge gap between mindsets. And the "other side" so to speak isn't even paying attention to what we're saying.

I have to get back to that article I was going to write. And you're a perfect person to talk to about it.

[Sd card]

Hi, I am developing my site right now and I would like to translate and publish and a few more of your articles on my site, I hope you don’t mind. If you do - then I’ll just place links to them but I really needed them in Polish. Thanks!