Word of Mouth: We all love to talk

“I am not buying this idea according to which we are becoming robots” were the words of Molly Flatt when asked about the changes an intense usage of social media can bring about, this June at Communicating the Museum. I find this very true for my personal case, as I sometimes have to take a break and remember that the internet is not transforming us people into something else, it is a medium through which we can pass our own ideas. Long story made short, internet is a means not an end.

In this respect I found Molly Flatt’s discussion both important and refreshing. Molly is a London-based “Word of Mouth Evangelist” working at the 1000 Heads agency. Her job roughly consists of devising campaigns using social media and other tools to create an important volume of conversations around her clients’ brands. In Malaga she gave a jam-packed, well-documented and lively presentation about what Word of Mouth (WOM) means today and how it can work more specifically for museums. Among the elements which Molly used to describe WOM, from its origins to its practical implementation, I will single out one that was key to me: WOM is an ancient mode of communication, it has been proven to work and internet has emerged as an immensely powerful vehicle for spreading Word of Mouth.

During her presentation, Molly went back to basics. She focused on how Museums should turn to having discussions with an audience craving to give museums their (precious) input. She explained how museums had always been the perfect place to spread Word of Mouth, as people would come to discuss the ideas of the day, and come to see, be seen and have a gossip, for example during the Great Exhibition. She wondered how this element had become lost over time. One of the reasons I love museums is precisely this : they create events and question their public. They have us talk and think and what comes from this process is priceless to me and should be to museums executives too. Museums themselves are the valuable object of conversation per se, internet only enhances them. Social media are about communities, about what comes from the heart of people.

That’s why I really liked the fact that Molly used an example of a fan-maker’s marketing campaign in the 19th century (before there was internet) to describe WOM. The language of the fan did not, as many people believe, evolve from some sort of unwritten social code but was in fact the result of a leaflet provided by Duvelleroy with every fan they sold. It was a genius marketing campaign that got people talking about a product. There are huge similarities between this stategy and the campaign 1000 Heads conducted for the “Cold War Modern” exhibition at the V&A, with the creation of a tailored, mutlifaceted game in London to lead selected internet users to an evening premiere of the exhibition. With a strategy like this, not only do you create buzz, not only do you promote, but what’s more, you leave real, lasting impressions on people about one object or event – they won’t forget about it as soon as it is over. It remains special and engages people not only as customers but as members of communities. Molly’s presentation’s final slide said: “She loves to talk”. Well, in truth, we all love to. It’s the conversation that’s important.

If you want to download a synthesis of Molly's talk, click here.