Coca-Cola has started a search for an agency that will help the world’s most prominent beverage brand monitor what consumers are saying about it in social channels:

via EConsultancy

I think the real reason we like people who are good listeners is because they let us talk.  Sure, sometimes we want them to understand us and empathize with us, but most of the time, all we’re looking for is a face that doesn’t have a mouth that goes yappity yap all the time.  That’s why we sometimes end up telling complete strangers our whole life story.

We just want to talk.

The problem when brands start “listening” is that they’re doing that so they can have something smart to say back.  In fact, they don’t even wait until we finish our sentence.  When we talk, we have to speak over the brand’s loud volume.  Of course it’s hard for the brand to hear us also with all this noise.  That’s why they hire consultants to do it for them.

Imagine if this was a relationship with your friend or spouse.  Both of you are talking so loud that the neighbours can listen, but neither is listening.  And then one of you say, “What do you mean I don’t listen?  Of course I listen.  That’s why I brought my friend here to listen to you, so I don’t have to. I want to focus on yelling.”

Nuts.

Waiting for your chance to talk is not considered listening. Talking while the other person is talking is not listening.

Didn’t they teach this in kindergarten?