Is it a trend? Don’t fake it, just make it your way

When Tom Sawyer ‘tricked’ his friends into whitewashing his aunt’s fence, effectively getting them to do the work that he was supposed to do – was there social outrage? No. Why? Possibly because Tom Sawyer was a fictitious character in Mark Twain’s 1876 novel. But also because the art of persuasion is a fact of life.

Tom Sawyer and ‘influencer’

Tom might be labelled an ‘influencer’ today and be a social media hit. In the novel, he managed to convince his friends that his work was actually a fun and desirable activity. He made the task seem like a privilege, suggesting that it was something he was lucky enough to be able to do. He also created a sense of competition. He did this by implying that only the most skilled and capable boys were allowed to whitewash the fence.

Reading that as a school kid, it seemed ridiculous that they could be so gullible

Go the extra mile

But aren’t we all persuaded to ‘go the extra mile’ on occasion? Or get our arms twisted to do things. There are bosses, clients and friends who make you feel special to be able to tackle a project. The sweat and anguish that goes into painting a fence, writing a strategy or executing a campaign can feel arduous at the time. But there’s also a euphoric high that comes with a job well done. It can’t be faked. And its potency is directly proportional to the effort it took to get to the finish line.

Virgin Active’s new campaign

If you haven’t seen it yet, Virgin Active launched a campaign this month (September) that’s pretty provocative. ‘Leave the Cult, Join the Club’ calls out the ‘unwell’ wellness industry for its fake advice and products peddled on digital media.

Gabi Mostert, group creative director at Virgin Active is quoted as saying: “Our message is simple. We’re *@%ing sick of it too. Come to one of our clubs, have a smoothie, move your body, lie in the sauna, whatever. Forget the noise and come as you are. Listen to nobody, but your body.”

There’s nothing new about being influenced – and being positively influenced is wonderful. But, with digital media, it’s not Tom talking to his crew anymore, it’s Tammy talking to the whole connected world.

This always-on, overwhelming barrage of ‘influence’ has created a crisis, especially for parents. In his New York Times best-seller, The Anxious Generation, author and social psychologist Jonathan Haidt lays the blame for the teenage mental health epidemic at social media’s door.

Smart Phones have ‘rewired’ children

He argues that smartphones and social media have ‘rewired’ modern childhood. This leads children to ‘compare and despair’ and spend less time offline enjoying physical play. Haight’s critics argue that digital media aren’t in themselves a bad influence on children. They also enable access to positive influences and a sense of community.

Is it just me, or is there a growing movement to call out online fakery? The art of persuasion is timeless, but the methods and tactics available are a function of the media and communication landscape. Tom Sawyer read his audience perfectly and, from where I sit, the new Virgin Active campaign has read me pretty well too.

Do you sense a communications trend?

What do you think of this campaign, and are you sensing a trend? I’m interested to hear from you.