It might not make sense now

A friend of mine who, out of recession time, is a freelance copy editor and proofreader went for an interview a few days ago at one of the big photo syndication firms for the position of picture researcher. Apart from his regular trade of editing and proofing, he has had some experience in researching images for a B2B publishing firm in Cape Town.

Since the money's in Joburg, he moved here (like many honeymooners from down south) about two months ago in search for a job. The above mentioned interview was his first since then. When he told me about the interview and position I thought surely he'd get the job. I mean, how many people out there do you know who ply their trade (or have in the past) as a picture researcher?

The day after the interview I waited in anticipation for him to tell me all about it, and he did. 'I didn't get it, man,' he said with a tone, I assumed, to be that of disappointment (we were on g-mail chat). I asked him why he thinks he didn't get it and to my surprise he told me that the people who interviewed him told him they are looking for someone with a sales background. Being a philosophy major he obviously doesn't.

That's ludicrous! I thought. Why would a picture researcher need a sales background? But then I thought again... it's recession time, EVERYONE needs to be a salesman.

Which leads me to ask: does being in a recession warrant aggressive advertising and sales strategies? If so, what are the implications for social media? Isn't the ethos of Web 2.0 only that which is compelling will be bought? You know, the whole I'll-choose-what-adverts-I-consume vibe?

If not, does this mean social media consumers have already bought wholesale into aggressive advertising under the guise of mediated choice, making SM channels the prime platform for playing the capitalist game, i.e. making people buy stuff they don't really need or necessarily even want?

Either way, this is an interesting dilemma and a nebulous one at that. Cheaper, more 'compelling' advertising via the web may be the answer for many large businesses that are being forced to cut back on advertising budgets (which is good news for E-Marketing and WebPR firms or agencies). Simultaneously, wouldn't this cheaper form of advertising or publicity increasingly appear to be just that, cheap advertising or gimmicky PR- blows below the consumer's already tightened belt?

Where does this leave the social media consumer? I am inclined to believe that at least 70 percent of people who use the Internet, particularly social media, are aware that it is one huge selling machine. So, let's sit back and see where the recession takes this so-called democratized medium.

Yours in these confusing times,
Ahmed Patel