The Human Hive
March 31, 2009
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Buzz is, well, all the buzz. How to create it. Where it comes from. How to sustain it. What it should cost. Unfortunately, being buzz-worthy is often mistaken for gimmickry or cheesiness. Buzz is the natural outlet of excitement. Part science, part discipline, buzz is a naturally occurring human phenomena. Of course, there are accelerators like advertising, PR, social media, etc. But they don’t create buzz; they drive it. The excitement has to be there to begin with.
In essence, creating buzz is just creating a brand. The mass media age tended to make people lazy marketers; letting promotion be the buzz not the product or service. However, with the fragmentation of mass media, the global economic situation, and an ultra-connected consumer base, brands are being forced to go back to the roots of buzz. In short, it is becoming more and more difficult to fake it.
If you break down successful brands (both large and small; both entity and personal), they have 3 common traits:
- They become a cause or an idea. They mean something beyond just the product or service they are offering. This isn’t a mission statement, nor is it a glossy annual report. This having a brand driven by some higher purpose. It is the answer to the question “why does this brand exist?” Patagonia clothing is an example of this.
- They have elements of surprise; unexpectedness at every level. Consumers are easily bored, but also easily turned-off by gimmicks and trickery. They also have generally low expectations. So the brands that offer a level of unexpectedness will create something for the customer to talk about beyond the product. Southwest Airline’s singing flight attendants is an example of this.
- They have a story; a tale or legend that MUST be told by those that come in contact with the brand. Every brand has a story. Unfortunately, most of them fall victim to well-crafted marketing-speak, clichés, and corporate buzzwords. Here is a simple exercise … write down your company’s story, but do it as a bio of a person. Talk about the birth, growth, etc. If you get excited writing your own story, then your customers will as well.
Hype is easy; it just takes money. Buzz is hard, because it takes patience and integrity - and the focus to work on the things you can actually control. Final thought: you need all 3 elements because each piece serves the other. Call it a system of check-and-balance for relevance.
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Justin,
I like your comments here and it makes a lot of sense. I think the one point I would add is that sustainable buzz has a level of authenticity. One can get a moment of hype from a “that’s cool” reaction… but to sustain real growth in a brand, one needs to constantly be asking the question “what is authentic” about my product or service. Patagonia didn’t start out as the Brand that we know it today… the values or as you suggest the integrity was there, but the brand was by no means as evolved… As the company became successful, the brand became more defined. It extended beyond the external identity and evolved into the core value system of the company. This influences every aspect of operations… Every company and in particular start-ups need to take stock in their values and ensure that the essence of that is permeated into all aspects of their business… especially their brand..
Jonathon Fishman