Mark Rose

We recently reached out to some thought leaders in the word of mouth and social media realm about topics that will be presented and discussed at School of WOM, May 9-11.

Today, Mark Rose, Editor of PR Blog News and Partner at Influence Consulting Group, answers our questions on storytelling, offline WOM, and brand culture.

“Storytelling” seems to be the latest buzz word in word-of-mouth and social media marketing today, do you see this as just a fad or a sustainable movement?

Since the days of the cave man, through the time of Homer, perpetuated by Gypsys throughout the world, the oral tradition of storytelling has endured. This is not a fad. Witness the recent escapades of the BronxZoosCobra, the Twitter reptile sensation that regaled us with a fictitious tourist jaunt through New York City. It was like we lived a children’s book fantasy unfolding 140 characters at a time. The anonymous author of that Twitter feed knew how to tell a story, and adapt the narrative to real-time events. After the real snake was found the story became about escaping again, naming the snake, inking the movie deal, etc.

Our brains are wired to think in stories, appreciate stories, respond emotionally to stories, anticipate where the story might go. We’re also wired to reject hype as we develop an increasingly sophisticated noise filtration system. Telling stories and keeping it authentic will never go out of vogue. It means that adhering to dramatic dictates – story arc, rising action, three dimensional characters persevering against impossible odds – are valuable attributes in developing the story thread in any social context.

With such a heavy emphasis on online and digital tactics these days, what can marketers do to focus on their offline touch points?

Pick up the phone, meet face to face, send a personal letter. All three, common a decade ago, are a rarity now. If someone calls me I talk, if they want to meet I’m willing, if they send a personal letter, I’m impressed. Keep it personal, one to one.

What are your thoughts on the future of word-of-mouth and social media marketing as it relates to brand culture within an organization?

Ranking and reviewing organizations, products and services online has become commonplace. No place is exempt. Sites that offer anonymous comments on “inside” information are also proliferating. There is no such thing as “off duty” anymore and increasingly external and internal communications are intersecting. This is the age of transparency, and social media is speeding the crumbling of walls that divide and determining brand culture in a company. It’s a real dilemma – corporate culture demands adherence to code and fealty to the organization. Social media demands individuality and open access. We’re still grinding our way through this new world.