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    Jerry-NetherlandHamilton Nolan
    7/02/15 3:36pm

    “...a foundation of cynicism for whom the concept of ‘authenticity’ is wholly nonsensical,”

    This applies to people who claim to be “a brand”, as well. Immediately upon making the claim.

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      Chalupa_JackJerry-Netherland
      7/02/15 3:38pm

      Your rejection of their brand is really hurting your brand, bro.

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      DL ThurstonChalupa_Jack
      7/02/15 3:47pm

      How about Russell Brand? Can I still reject him?

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    ThidrekrHamilton Nolan
    7/02/15 3:41pm

    I’d say the answer is always “you’re trying to be something you’re not.” Not every brand can be an “aspirational brand” like, say, Apple, where you can try to ride a wave of “cool” to make piles of cash (for the record, I love my iPhone), but if you actually make a good product or are well-known for a good customer service experience (Amazon, Nordstrom), people will take notice! In other words, if you’re striving for “authenticity” with “inauthenticity,” then, of course, your company is going to get called out—which should surprise no executive at all.

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      JarrodAllen23Thidrekr
      7/02/15 4:41pm

      Bart explains this to Marge at one point. Trying to be cool makes you uncool, but oddly trying not to be cool does not therefore make you cool.

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      spootenheimerThidrekr
      7/02/15 8:16pm

      But isn’t it so much less effort to fabricate a cult of personality through marketing and media management and commercials comparing yourself to Ghandi and MLK Jr. than to design and manufacture quality products?

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    Chalupa_JackHamilton Nolan
    7/02/15 3:33pm

    Do you think there are any non-advertisers this guy works with that might look at him funny while he spends hours sniffing his own asshole? Or is it just one giant asshole-sniffing echo chamber? I lean toward door #2.

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      Snake LipssynkChalupa_Jack
      7/02/15 4:02pm

      spends hours sniffing his own asshole?

      If s/he could also lick their own asshole in preparation for penetration s/he is known as a flooper. (not the definition Andre “Christ Bearer” Johnson seemed to mean in that dick severing interview, but it was hard to tell which of the 12 definitions he intended with: That was a flooper, we all done woke up from a flooper. Maybe not a flooper as big as me.

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    Sorely VexedHamilton Nolan
    7/02/15 3:42pm

    Brands are permanent marks applied to the hides of oblivious cattle, denoting ownership. Therein lies their only authenticity.

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      howtocompensateHamilton Nolan
      7/03/15 8:21am

      Related: that article is a head-wrecking word salad.

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        SixtimestodaysofarHamilton Nolan
        7/02/15 3:59pm

        I have watched more than a few well-established and respected companies lose their focus and slip beneath the radar, in direct proportion to the amount of influence wielded by their marketing departments.

        I teach design on the university level and my students have heard war stories about the very cynicism that you mention. When the results of human creativity and effort are given the title of “product”, interchangeable with soap powder or saltine crackers, it demeans the person and his or her training and creative effort.

        My students are taught to use common sense to aggressively counter marketing doublespeak and defend their concepts and solutions in terms of real-world scenarios.

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          SmitrosHamilton Nolan
          7/02/15 3:34pm

          Their cynicism is poison. Ours is toasted.

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