I made a rule for myself at the beginning of this year: I will not use the word 'authentic' in any client presentation, brief, or strategy document. It has been the hardest professional constraint I've ever imposed.
Every brand wants to be 'authentic.' Every brief asks for 'authenticity.' Every creative review includes someone saying 'but does this feel authentic?' And the word has been so thoroughly drained of meaning that it now communicates absolutely nothing. It's a placeholder for 'good' that sounds strategic.
What clients actually mean when they say 'authentic' is usually one of three things: specific (grounded in real details rather than generic), consistent (the same person at every touchpoint), or vulnerable (willing to show imperfection). Each of those is a real strategic direction. 'Authentic' is none of them.
What clients actually mean when they say 'authentic' is usually one of three things: specific (grounded in real details rather than generic), consistent (the same person at every touchpoint), or vulnerable (willing to show imperfection).
So now when a client says 'we want to be more authentic,' I make them pick: do you want to be more specific, more consistent, or more vulnerable? The answer is always clarifying. It moves the conversation from vibes to action.
Barnaby just knocked my coffee off the desk and I think he's making a statement about authenticity in action versus authenticity as aspiration. Or he's just a chaos agent. Both things can be true.