Authenticity isn't a strategy, says "hippie marketer" Tad Hargrave, so "stop trying to be so authentic."
Authenticity isn't a target or a tagline or a tone; and you can't get it by posing.
"There’s the old story of the archer who misses his shot because his eye is on the trophy he wants to win and not the bullseye," Hargrave says.
Forget authenticity. Aim, instead, for transparency.
If your organization is sales driven, be salesy. If it's tech focused, be geeky. If it's bureaucratic, be stately.
To win customers' trust, first trust yourself.
By playing a game of bait and switch, posers wind up losers.
Customers aren't gullible.
As Mad Man David Ogilvy said, "The consumer isn’t a moron; she is your wife.”
