Keiichi’s Weblog

“Markets are conversations” This is the assertion of the authors of the Cluetrain　Manifesto,　which  is very simple and somewhat compelling. The authors claim that　the most ideal, healthy market should allow merchants and　people to have direct communication, the same  that was common  at markets in　ancient time. The Internet has a potential to realize this situation.

Since the emergence of the modern mass media, our market place in a sense has prohibited direct communication between the individuals inside companies and　the consumers. If consumers want to suggest, or complain about the products,　they had to go through a long, painful process by writing a letters or　making phone calls to the public relations department , which functions as a liaison
between companies and its consumers. As the authors point out, one of the main　duties of public relations is to select voices of people inside and to　promote the image of companies and the products. In author’s words, they　only spread “contrived” mission statements. It is very “one way”
communication.

The thriving use of advertisements accelerated this one way communication. TV　commercials, radio commercials, magazine ads, publicity boards on the　streets, all intrude into our everyday lives regardless of our feelings, sometimes　violently, and we as consumers do not have any effective measures to protest　these tactics or these intrusions.

The Internet can change the whole landscape of the relationship  between companies and consumers. The authors predicted that in the future of the Internet, companies will have to change their artificial, ostensible attitudes towards the public with  blunt, free-spoken ones. Manifesto 25 states, “Companies need to come down their Ivory Towers and talk to the people with whom they hope to create relationships.”

To that end, the authors suggest companies open their intranets to the public, and connect them directly to the Internet to allow people inside the company and the consumers to communicate with each other freely. By doing so, “commerce becomes far more naturally integrated into the life of individuals and communities.” In Manifesto 53, there are two conversations going on; one inside the company, and the other with the market. In  Manifesto 56, these two conversations want to talk to each other. They are speaking the same language. They recognize each other’s voice.

In fact, the author’s idea was realized in some degree today. Dell established a space on the internet where engineers can answer the questions from their users. Other companies opened communities for their customers to exchange their opinions and advices. However, as far as I know, there have been no companies that have opened their bottom lines at the magnitude the authors are demanding.

In my point of view, the world that the Cluetrain Manifesto suggests will never be realized. Some companies, such as Dell, seem to be heading in the direction the Cluetrain Manifesto directs. However, their aim is not building a market place where people inside the company and the users
associate. To me, all the communities offered by companies are nothing more than a sort of public relation exercise or ploy.

Let’s take a look at some examples. These days, the role of blogs are increasingly becoming important. Some of them are used as communities to associate the employees of a company and the users. Robert Scoble is a famous blogger among the Windows fans. The topic he covers diversify from the world’s largest pistachio factory to the Windows latest operation system, Vista.  Scoble is also an employee of Microsoft. He gets feedback from readers on how to improve the new OS, and answers people’s questions.

This is what the Culetrain Manifesto suggested, making a community that does not have boundaries between employees and users. However, what he does is obviously a sort of public relation. As long as he stays inside the company, he is not able to act, or speak from a totally free-wheeling stand point.

One thing the Cluetrain Manifesto overlooked is a very fundamental fact. In the world of capitalism, a company must put a priority on making a profit. All companies must have their own market strategies that can not be shared with outsiders. In that sense, it is imperative for all companies to have “double-face”. As we can not always give away one’s true feeling.

As the communication technologies in the Internet are improving and new ways of advertisement are cultivating, a company’s promoting strategies become more ingenious and contriving, such as the Robert Scoble case.  I recently learned that there are companies such as projectblog.com, which offer promotion strategies that utilizing amateur bloggers.

Thus, I must say that the Clutrain Manifesto is missing a fundamental element that drives the corporate world. Manifesto 80 says, “Don’t worry, you can still make money. That is, as long as it’s not the only thing on your mind.” I very much doubt it.