Medicine or Poison

We live in an era where "authenticity" is the golden rule of marketing. Every brand claims to be "real," "genuine," and "transparent." But here’s the problem: when every brand says the same thing, it stops meaning anything. Authenticity, once a powerful differentiator, has become just another buzzword—stripped of substance and reduced to a cliché.

If you want to be authentic, it will strip away all those lovely walls brands have put up like:

• "We're a family"

• "We put customers first"

• "Quality is our top priority"

• "We give back to our community"

All of these sentiments should be a given and never advertised, it's like stating the obvious. Followers want to judge your business choices themselves, and when done correctly, you could win loyal followers for life because you are offering medicine in a world of poison.

Here's how to be genuine:

Show the Outtakes

People trust what feels imperfect because perfection feels fake. Show the chaos, the outtakes, and the behind-the-scenes moments that aren’t curated for Instagram.

• Hot Mic the Owner: Let people hear the unscripted, unfiltered version of leadership—whether that’s rants, jokes, or honest frustrations.

• Unpolished Footage: Share the first take, not the edited final cut. Think compelling iPhone videos over glossy commercials.

• Show the Ugly Side: Talk about the mistakes you’ve made, the failures, and how you’re learning in real time. No one trusts a brand that always "gets it right."

  
  

Say What No One Else Will

Forget brand-safe messaging. People want the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable.

• Call Out Industry BS: Every industry has sacred cows—slaughter them. If there’s a ridiculous trend, name it.

• Be Blunt About Challenges: Don’t sugarcoat supply chain issues, rising prices, or why customer service sucks sometimes. Tell people the truth.

• Own the “Why Not Us” Narrative: If a competitor does something better, admit it. Then say what you do differently.

  
  

Hand the Mic to Your People

Nothing’s more authentic than real voices.

• Mic Up the Staff: Let employees tell their stories unscripted. Not polished testimonials—real talk about their job, customers, or weird days.

• Customer Takeovers: Let a customer run your social media for a day—no filters, no brand oversight.

• Let the Critics In: Feature people who don’t love your brand and give them space to be honest.

  
  

Ditch the Script—Talk Like a Human

Corporate-speak kills authenticity. Drop the rehearsed lines and talk like people actually talk.

• Cursing—If It Fits: Don’t overdo it, but the occasional “sh*t happens” feels more real than “we value transparency.”

• Conversational Captions: Instead of polished brand copy, write posts the way you’d text a friend.

• Roast Yourself: Poke fun at your quirks, mistakes, or that one thing everyone always complains about.

  
  

Make the Audience Part of the Story

The most authentic thing a brand can do? Stop talking about yourself.

• Unfiltered User Content: Share unedited customer videos, even if they’re awkward or messy.

• Crowdsource Decisions: Let your audience vote on product names, packaging designs, or new features.

• Public Accountability: Make big promises—then report back whether you nailed or failed them.

  
  

The Bottom Line

Authenticity isn’t a checklist—it’s a willingness to be vulnerable, unpredictable, and a little messy. When brands break the script and show up like real people, that’s when they earn real trust. Good words are the ones that come from truth and are medicine. Buzzwords? They’re just rat poison dressed up as a solution.