As I watched the Super Bowl the talk online was about the commercials and brands. The online chatter focused on the medium and interruptive ads. Although I’d be hard pressed to say that these ads were an interruption, at least during the Super Bowl, ads are eagerly awaited, a rarity surely in the world of advertising.

I learned more about social media by watching the game. The game was a reflection of the crossroads at which corporate communications and marketing stand today. The choice to go by the book, stick to what’s been done, surely it worked in the past, but it’s been done; or the choice to be different, to be daring in the face of predictability. The choice to go against “conventional wisdom,” the choice to do something that will make people talk.

That’s right talk

What Da? he’s not going for the field goal? Did you see that,?! The Saints didn’t kick the sure 3 points in the second quarter. What Da, off sides kick to start the half? Who Dat? They must have believed in their product eh?

Second guessers, the world is full of ‘em in every profession, on every topic. Detractors, every company and every product has them, even if it’s because the product is perfect. Some people don’t think Michael Jordan is all that, they are not Jordan fans. I am not one of them, but I have run into a few.

So now that we’ve accepted the fact that we can’t please everyone and there will be critics. What are we going to do to make people talk? There is an old expression people would use to convey that the product or experience they had was mediocre, it goes, “It was nothing to write home about.” Isn’t that the antithesis of social media, I must give you something to write home about.

Well the Saints gave us something to write home about and on blogs, on Twitter, on forums, on YouTube etc etc etc. And if they lost, their decisions would still be the ingredients of our content. Why? Because they dared to be different, they dared to have confidence in their skills, their preparation, and each other. Aren’t those the attributes you want a company to have? Those attributes bring freedom.

Freedom to accept the results of your decision, freedom to try something new, freedom to believe your fans (Superdome fans or Facebook fans) will understand you.

This is the essence of being a social company, not just implementing social tactics, but truly being a social company. Why, because social media is everywhere and growing. Companies that get high marks for the social strategies are usually not those that play it safe, it’s those that play it straight. Of course mistakes will happen, own them. Of course your customer may have a better idea than the creative employee making six figures, embrace it. Of course you have hundreds of people that like what you do, give them a forum.

Thanks Sean Payton and the New Orleans Saints for breaking another barrier in this new century. A century that is shedding light on the illusions of the last century. The Illusion that we can’t really control or predict the future, but that we can only prepare for the present and react to what it gives us. Dreams can be more powerful than plans.