Exposing Marketing Misconceptions: An Interview With Austin Franke – Part 2

*Please be advised - there is some strong language at the end of this episode.* “Since our brains are wired for community almost above everything else, social media can be a replacement for in-person community. And social media, if communities are built and authentic value is being brought to the table and all of that, then you can’t argue with that: it’s good. But what they’ve found is that even if someone is really positive on Facebook, it’s also psychologically harmful.” Austin Franke   This episode’s the second half of my interview with behavioral strategist and Woo Punch founder Austin Franke, as we talk about advertising and marketing in the age of social media.   Brands and People Our interview picks up with a discussion of availability bias, and how mental availability, the ease of recalling a particular brand in the right circumstance, can win out over persuasion. We discuss two competing approaches to marketing in the digital age and where Austin thinks the brand love approach goes wrong compared to data research: “where the misunderstanding comes from, I believe, is assuming that customers will ever view a brand like they do a person.”   Large Business Effects We continue with a look at what the future might bring for Clubhouse and for other social media companies that are now trying to emulate its approach, and Austin explains how recent studies on “large business effects” have reaffirmed the value of traditional advertising even in the digital age. “My philosophy on social media is that it can help you if you’re a small business,” he explains, “but it’s really only effective as a complement to traditional media.”   Rare and Valuable Work Austin talks about his social media philosophy, and the psychological harm that he believes trying to use it as a substitute for real-life communities has caused. We discuss toxic positivity and negativity, the addictive quality of social media, and Cal Newport’s books Deep Work and Digital Minimalism. “Rare and valuabl