When the Cluetrain Manifesto was published it turned the world of business on its head. The impact that consumer-company interaction would come to have on business, as well as how the internet tied into it, was barely conceivable. This made the Manifesto quite the piece of outlandish literature. Now, however, many points from the 95 Theses of the Cluetrain manifesto are evident in every business. Some businesses fare much better than others, however. This can be indicated by how many of the theses any company adheres to, much of it also has to do with how they utilize social media to achieve their goals.
One brand that comes to mind is Kiel James Patrick. This brand, which is often shortened to KJP, is named after one of its founders, Kiel. He and his wife/co-founder Sarah are native New Englanders who began working together selling vintage clothing items. They eventually shifted gears and began selling their own sailor knot accessories, which expanded into self-designed jewelry and clothing.
“Before the couple began making $40 upscale camp bracelets with anchor-shaped clasps, they haunted New England thrift stores to supply their online vintage clothing shop, Wicked Vintage. The clothes sold better when they photographed themselves wearing them, they said.
Steven Kurutz, The New York Times
Even today with their newer, larger, and more original business, a major appeal of Kiel and Sarah’s company is that the photographs are often personal. Rather than these individuals being simply owners and creators of the company, they are also the face of the company. Their family, their lifestyle, and their thoughts are all integral to how the brand is portrayed and to how closely the consumer identifies with it.
This form of social media presence struck me as something quite similar to what the authors of Cluetrain idealized. KJP is undoubtedly human. The line between company, employee, and consumer is exponentially blurred when many of those involved are part of the company’s social media story. Indeed, aside from the official @kieljamespatrick Instagram, both founders have their own public Instagram accounts– Sarah also has a blog– which allow consumers to even further glimpse into the lifestyle and narrative that KJP has upheld. These are all forums on which consumers can have real interactions with the faces of the company.
“Companies need to come down from their Ivory Towers and talk to the people with whom they hope to create relationships.”
Thesis #25, The Cluetrain Manifesto
Another key component of Cluetrain is that the consumers are also the employees. A company must recognize that its employees are often part of the community it is trying to sell to. KJP recognizes this and utilizes it fairly well. For example, instead of seeking out random models for their shoots, they use their own friends who often work in the world of Instagram blogging and photography. The “preppy” blogging community on Instagram is where KJP makes the majority of its sales. This community is very connected. It makes a much greater impact when consumers see their fellow bloggers sporting the brand and taking part in the conversation, rather than outside influencers.
I may be biased by my love of the company. But that being said, if I love it they must be doing something right!
Modern Marketing Musings 