Wine Enthusiast, Sans Cheese

Marketing isn't a one-size-fits-all proposition, and Brian Clark of Copyblogger makes the case for being true to your brand in a post about Gary Vaynerchuk and his online show Wine Library TV.

In a sample episode embedded at Clark's post, Vaynerchuk sets up his commentary on four investment-grade wines with an almost hyperactive, stream-of-consciousness delivery before veering off script. "I brought out the big-ass glass!" he exclaims, as he thrusts it toward the camera. He then frowns, yanks it back and examines its base. "Did I just break that? That was weird. That would have been insane if I broke it on the spot!" According to Clark, you might expect Vaynerchuk's spastic energy and scattered focus to send sober-minded oenephiles running. "And yet Gary has tons of those types of hype-adverse people among his loyal fan base," he says.

Vaynerchuk can get away with it because he's being himself, and he's using a medium that accurately conveys the genuine nature of his enthusiasm. "It's a whole lot easier to get across enthusiasm with voice inflection, facial expressions and body language," says Clark. So while the bombast would be nearly impossible to pull off in print—all exclamation points, bold language and red headlines—he argues that the video format makes it possible for Vaynerchuk to appear innovative, not cheesy.

The Po!nt: "The bottom line is this," says Clark. "Gary's gonzo style isn't a good fit for me to use, and it might not be right for you. But if you don't find a way to get your authentic enthusiasm across, you're not going to achieve your online marketing goals."

Source: Copyblogger. Click here for the post.

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