“Watch your back.”
I should have known this was going to be a lively event when I checked out expert speaker Helena Langdon’s LinkedIn title before settling into my seat at last week’s EC Plus+ “Icons of the Industry” event.
Badged as “How To Talk To People On The Internet”, this was a marketing wakeup call.
Helena was the brilliant brain and mischievous mind behind the tone of voice and epic social media antics of Innocent Drinks.
You remember the brand because it was cheeky, it was naughty, at times surreral.
Most of all, because it was human.
This is more crucial than ever, in a world where #content can be rustled up in moments.
Top Tip – the story about the 4th floor stapler… trust me, look it up!
Helena gave the room permission to embrace creative chaos, encouraging delegates to resist the urge to use Ai when brainstorming ideas and to just let the brain fire.
It was really interesting to watch the embers slowly come to life, fanned into small sparks and finally a few flickering flames, as HUMANS recalled what communicating on that level feels like.
It’s FUN!
People were giggling away sharing what they’d drafted for their TRUE “out of office” statement before dialling it down a tad for public consumption or as they crafted their replies to reviews with extra mischief dialled WAAAAY up.
Helena’s highlights? (Stapler aside):
Get Noticed. Be Remembered. Make Money….Build Fans For Life.
That last bit is crucial. FANS!
Not recipients. Not casual browsers. FANS.
Start small, keep it human and PLEASE “never underestimate the power of nonsense.”
PS keep an eye out for my Out Of Office’s going forwards but for now, the 2-week holiday one I drafted that I will NOT be using was; “Seriously?! I’m in the pool. This had better be about a cold beer!”
Maybe one day I will dare to use it….we shall see.
Greg