A Marketing Producer's Identity Crisis

So, in the days of keyword and hashtag glorification, I know it’s heresy to say that labels are anything less than the beautiful result of data classification and content audits. Scientists love their fractals, strategists love their classifications. Demographics, affinities, and taxonomies, oh my. I get it.

But let me just state, labels can be traumatic. Great for separating messaging in winback vs. prospect emails, sure. The holy grail of enterprise marketers who seek to engage members of one managerial tier vs. those lounging in the C-suite. But in the wrong hands? Whoa, boy – cynical, apathetic Generation X’er and entitled Millenials? Boom, you’ve been homogenized. Savvy, Blue State urbanite and Red State Fox News viewer: go to your corners, because obviously you’re arch-enemies, and your face-off – paintball guns vs. Oculus goggles – is scheduled for November 4.

And in the wrong hands? Well, let’s just say one current headliner of every news cycle through November election offers a very myopic view of your potential in life -- and presumes your intentions in life-- if you were born south of the border, face east when you pray, or earn south of $25K.

In my own life, it’s fine that I’m a recognized letter on the LGBTQIA spectrum – but worked against my personal growth as a teenager, when I was convinced that my life was spelled out for me in the trailer of Cruising. The media (and my attentive parents) had me convinced that I’d face shame and adversity around every corner, when what it really did was create a construct of how society worked that reality ended up proving wrong. There was plenty of kindness and respect, I just needed to present myself truthfully. Strength from sincerity.

The impact of labels on my professional life is more benign. As I put myself out there for producing gigs at agencies and for in-house marketing teams, I’m interpreted different ways depending on whether my prospective client or employer hones in on my past roles as Project Manager (obviously best at reconciling estimates vs. actuals), Content Manager (clearly geeks out at constructing a sitemap or planning an editorial calendar), or Interactive Producer (bad cop that corrals vendors and delinquent creative types -- who are undoubtedly and inevitably averse to process.) If I’m a producer, I’m tactical. If I’m a strategist, I’m big vision.

I think that’s why I’m a bit enamored with the title “storyteller”, though it’s own saturation of late across every type of content from YouTube videos to documentary to sponsored webisodes is diminishing it’s distinctive appeal as well. A story implies a unique narrative, a particular point of view or editorial style. Characters with histories, not groups with traits. A conflict to overcome through a series of educational interactions. Rewards earned through trial vs….oh, say, actions resulting in metrics.

The best entertainments and the most compelling narratives always seem to contain an element of surprise, something that makes us recognize the tapes we play in our head.

Labels are convenient, but lazy. It’s fine, and understandable, that we use that as shorthand in conversation and perhaps documentation like user profiles and customer journeys. But I think we have to constantly remind ourselves that naming conventions are a tool, not a solution.

Heading off to my Bikram yoga class, because, you know, I live in Seattle.