Everything Is Risky

Marketing maven Seth Godin once said something along the lines of "safe is risky and risky is safe". While I'm no guru, I'd like to make an addendum to this statement.

Everything is risky.

But it wasn't always this way. TV once portrayed perfection—fantasy, and radio told us what we thought we wanted to hear. There was no way to provide instant feedback. If you wanted to pick a bone with a TV or radio personality, you'd have to call the hotline, and chances were slim that you'd get on.  Risk in these mediums could be managed with a degree of precision. Time delays and *beeps* over unsavory language ensured it. We got used to how the mediums worked and mastered their rhythms.

The internet is slightly different. And it's evolving. It's unpredictable, messy, organic, empowering, addictive and pervasive. It's good and bad—highly interactive, responsive, connective and alive. In fact, it's a lot like life. And like life, with it everything is risky. Each time we step outside our homes, we put ourselves at risk. The world can take us out at any time. A car accident, a virus, an act of nature.

The Web is a lot like this. Put something on it that you think is provocative—try to get people talking and you risk being ignored. Put something out that looks "safe" and you might inadvertently upset someone who you never new existed. Put something out that you think will appeal to everyone and you risk appealing to no-one. Stay away from the internet and someone will capture what you did with a mobile phone and put it on there anyway.  With every post I write, I'm taking a risk.

Everything is risky.

When all roads lead to risk, there's only one thing we can do. Live. We live life by learning, by trying, by falling down getting up and learning from the best teacher we've ever had—life itself. Everything is now risky, every piece of media we upload can come back to haunt us. Everything can be frozen through a screen capture.  In life we deal by going out into the world and navigating it's customs. Those who barricade themselves indoors thinking they avoid risk end up risking the quality of their social interactions.

If everything is risky, then nothing is safe. There is no safe anymore. What's left looks a lot like living. You live, you learn. You get up in the morning, tie your shoes and cross the street looking both ways. But you cross it—because if you don't, you can't live. And every once in a while you take a chance. Because everything is risky anyway.

Comments

[Rohit]

Love this post - brilliant stuff and simple. The interesting extension of this explains the tension between marketers and lawyers ... much of the legal profession is built around helping people to avoid risk. If you're right that everything is risky, perhaps that's why there are so many lawyers? ;-)

[David Armano]

Rohit,

I need to cross the street. Can you help me find a good lawyer?

[Pete (pjbfcp)]

Nice post David. I'm impressed with the "speed post"technique. The interesting thing is how trust relates to risk. When I think of users v.s. organizations I am beginning to see things as less of a risk v.s. reward and more of risk v.s. trust. In this new age where "friends" are businesses and businesses can be "friends".

[Morgan Coudray]

Now, I'm taking a risk writing this comment. Clearly you don't get anything out of life without risk. This concept of risk is somehting that could be debated for hours since many would argue that the only risk is putting your life or money on the line.

I like your take on it and I can relate with the risk I took the first day i started my marketing blog by coming out with the (lamest) most straight forward name a blog can have: Canadian University Marketing aka CUM.

[David Armano]

Morgan,

Thanks for the aka. ;-)

Pete,
I think you're on to something via risk vs. trust. Going to simmer on that one.

[matt jones]

Great stuff!

I reckon the biggest risk to marketers and brands today is buying into the insane (and totally irrational, as you illustrate) belief that any decision or startegy can ever be risk-free.

Once you start pursuing a 'risk-free' direction your terminal decline is assured.

The biggest risk today is taking no risks at all. End of story.

[Cam Beck]

David - This is one for the gallery. Well done.

[Michelle / chelpixie]

I vote Yea on your addendum. Companies want control over the 'net reaction. If they want to play on the web, they need to get past the risky and just dive in.

1. Know that it's risky. 2. Give away good content. 3. Point to other people. 4. Apologize when you make a mistake. 5. Have fun!

[Sarah]

Good Job!

I think that there isn't a thing in this world that is risk free. But i do believe that in order for you to be successful you must take some risk. I would take a risk at placing ads or products on venues wherein i can reach my target consumers at their dwell time. Based on an article at AdAge.co, Brand Connections help out-of-home marketers reach their target. Here's the link, http://adage.com/video/article?article_id=132580

[Larry Irons]

So, I guess we are all risk managers.

[Luisa Agante]

Hi David! Your statement transcends mkt, creativity, law, whatever. It is a statement for living life as it is. Nice and pretty zen!

[Derek Forrest]

Sort of like "Damned if you do, damned if you don't". Best thing is to focus on what you want and make it happen - let the chips fall where they may.

[Tom Asacker]

There's your book, David!

[steve cunningham]

David - great post and graphic. The scary part of most executives in giving the go ahead with "new" things, especially digital marketing, is that the risk is unknown. They have been brought up in a world that is very good at managing known risks, not managing unknown risks.

Question: how do we get more green (or even orange) and less red?

[Gavin Heaton]

Nice post, as usual DA. And I think Tom may be right - there is a book in it!

When I was younger I lived what I now would call a risky life. It was open on all fronts. This meant some great times, but some challenges too. But every setback was only that ... I recovered and moved on. I wasn't always so neatly resilient, and I certainly wish I had the daring that I once possessed.

What I now lack in chutzpah I make up for in indifference. By accepting that our creativity, our ideas, our thoughts and our being in the world is going to rub up against someone or something should not dissuade us from interacting. We should care less about the impact of this engagement and focus more on the potential ... what are the pathways, what are the opportunities, and where can they take us.

That is where it gets exciting. The undiscovered country.

[bonnie Larner]

David - this is - well - perfect. Can't decide
which I like best: Your writing, your message or your visualization. Three-way tie in my book.

ciao my friend,
bonnie

[Mike Wagner]

My new motto after reading your post David;

"Embrace the risk!"

Keep creating...risky action,
Mike

[T.Foo-ee]

This one is certainly poetic, and right on the money! Risk vs. Reward, love it, hate it or WTF don't care, beautiful man!