A reminder about authenticity in your Social Media

I’ve not talked about it here, but my big project right now is Web Strategy for the John McCain 2010 Senate re-election campaign.

I love this gig. It mixes two of my biggest passions, Social Media, and politics. I’ve learned so much more about both it is ridiculous and I need to start talking about it here more.

I was reminded today, in a huge way, about being authentic. You see, marketing has campaigns, politicians have campaigns, and there are similarities, but there are also huge differences. For example, to my knowledge, when a company is holding an event, the competing company doesn’t show up with video cameras to film it. This happens in politics regularly. For example, not long ago, I took this photo of the campaign manager of our primary opponent at a Town Hall hosted by Senator McCain.

This brings us to today. Between dropping by two fire stations, Senator McCain hosted two Town Halls and there was another prominent staffer of our opponent there to film. I was making small talk with him afterwords and said, “So, what horrible things were said that will end up on your blog?” He replied to a statement the Senator (not a poor man by any measure) had just made in the last few minutes, “I hate rich people just like everyone else.” So offending staffer replied, “‘I hate rich people,’? what was that all about? haha I know it was just tongue-in-cheek.” Which it entirely was.

So not much time had to go by when I see this tweet by tongue-in-cheek-statement-mentioning-opponent-staffer, “#AZ Sen McLame @ Tempe Town hall 2day: “I hate rich people.” Wait, is he running in the DEM primary? #azright#azgop#tcot“

Wait.. what?!

And this got me thinking more about authenticity. I don’t recall a time I was faced with such blatant disregard for what you truly think and what you say in public. In fact when I was talking to this individual that followed us around today, I kind of liked him. He was personable, friendly. But then to turn around and tell the Internet what he told them is inexcusable. I have altered my opinion of this individual 180 degrees and he is now in the untrusworthy human category.

I don’t have to go on and on and explain why you need to be true to yourself whether online or off. This story does it for me. In our commercials, there is a line that is always repeated, it says, “Character Matters” This individual’s actions tell me what kind of person he is, and by association, the person he represents.

Character matters. Integrity matters. Authenticity matters.