Gleeful And Proud

Some commentors yesterday accused me of being unbecomingly gleeful over a Yankelovich study which showed that social media ain't all that fabulous in creating "conversations" about brands.

I plead 100% guilty.

Frankly, I'm fully fed-up with the incessant stream of baloney I'm exposed to about Web 2.0 and social media. Here's this week's nominee for grand marshal of the double-talk parade. From ADWEEK...

"...in today's post-advertising world...the Web becomes the preferred destination for brand exploration....Start by becoming skillful at story listening so you get to understand your story as it lives in the hearts and minds of your consumers..."

Give me a fucking break.

"Post-advertising world?" Advertising is everywhere. On every shirt, taxi, wall, dry cleaning bag, and license plate. You can't take a piss without hitting advertising. Post advertising world my ass.

"Preferred destination for brand exploration?" On what planet, I'd like to know, are people seeking a "destination for brand exploration?"

As for "story listening," please excuse me while I go kill myself.

Do these people know how to do anything other than cut and paste each others pompous bullshit?

Look. I know social media can be effective. I know there are some terrific success stories. I know it works nicely in some categories. What drives me nuts is the dreadful language, the inflated promises, the overstated claims, and the constant stream of self-congratulatory nonsense.

It's just one more medium. A new world hasn't begun or ended because of it. In order to be useful, the web doesn't have to vanquish everything else. Would everyone please just calm the hell down and use your heads.

Afterthought:
If yesterday's post pissed you off, you're really gonna hate tomorrow's.