Our culture’s fascination with Chad Ochocinco (formerly Johnson) is not exactly breaking news. The Cincinatti Bengals wide receiver has been in the public eye for most of his 9 years in the NFL. Isn’t it absolutely stunning that celebrities, athletes, politicians, journalists and other public figures have become such a routine part of the social media experience?
I think years from now, when we look back at the early years of the social media revolution, the fact that everyday normal American’s were, for the first time, in personal contact with the people they admired (or loathed) it will be one of the hallmarks of this era. It’s indicative of aspects of our “gatekeeper” culture that people formerly protected and hidden behind PR flacks, studios, lawyers and aides, have used social media to knock down those walls. The ones who have caught on authentically have experienced positive brand results.
What To Learn From Chad Ochocinco
In a world where so many celebrities and athletes are using social media, the one’s who use it well are reaping disproportionate rewards. In preparation for a time where all sorts of businesses and brands are using social media, Chad Ochocinco’s experience can teach us a few things.
The importance of surprise is number 1. With Chad, we simply don’t know what he is going to do next.
Whether trading 140-character punches with opposing players through Twitter, explaining his plans to celebrate the touchdowns he expects to score or offering a shopping spree to the first fan to come to the front desk of the team hotel, there are few dull moments with Ochocinco.
This week, he made back-page headlines in New York by declaring his sore knee healthy, as proved not by the magnetic resonance imaging exam he had on Monday, but the sex he said he had had. For those who missed that, he posted a Twitter message that it was taken “a lil serious” and appeared on Showtime’s “Inside the NFL” to say he was joking.
It was a trifecta of attention — newspaper, social media and television — for one glib remark on a weekday between games.
But what else can Chad teach us?
If You Are Going To Misbehave, Misbehave In Public
Consider Gilbert Arenas, the Washington Wizards guard who is currently serving an indefinite suspension for brandishing guns (yes plural) in the Wizards locker room. He misbehaved in a mostly private setting. And when the team found out about, they kept it private, for the most part.
And then the press got wind of it, law enforcement officials and eventually the NBA itself.
Now, I am not advocating for Arenas to have simply brandished the guns in public. He’d be in jail right now if he had. But the point is that Chad Ochocinco’s particular style of misbehavior is made for public dissemination.
Misbehavior can be an important aspect of social media success. No one is perfect. We’ve covered this all before.
Businesses Absolutely Must Get Used to NOT Being Perfect
Start embracing your imperfections! And do it in public, acknowledge them. Of course, that means minimizing your imperfections so that they don’t get you arrested.
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