photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/shyamh/

Creating ambient intimacy

How can companies interact better with their employees?

“The signals we send
Are deflected again
We’re still connected
But are we even friends?”

Reflektor by Arcade Fire

Last Sunday we went on a long run at Glenmore Reservoir. The trail is a popular route, especially on sunny weekends, so it was packed with other people out for a jog.

If you’ve ever jogged down a busy path you’ll probably notice an interesting behaviour pattern the occurs as you cross paths with other runners. Most of them give a small wave as they pass. Never a grand motion, just a simple gesture. Which is something that always amuses me. I don’t know these people, and they don’t know me.

Then a funny thing happens. I begin giving the wave too. Normally I don’t interact with strangers, but in this context, it makes sense.

Humans are social creatures.We crave affirmation and a sense of belonging. The wave is a cultural signal that I am part of something. A small action that said “I am here, running and training like you, and we are all doing it together.”

Sifting Through Digital Exhaust

The runner’s wave might seem like nothing, but I think it provides insight how we behave in the online world. When we scroll through Instagram pictures or cruise through our newsfeeds we are essentially seeking out digital “waves” from network.

But the real question is, why are we so obsessed with doing it? Why do we care about banal updates from people we knew in high-school or photos from an old coworker?

One answer could be that what we are seeking are actually updates from the people we really care about; an update from a close friend or a piece of news that we really care about. We scan through the fluff to get to the things we want to see. This may be partially true, but it doesn't explain why we put up with all of the digital exhaust from people we barely know anymore. If thats what we really wanted, we would all use Path.

Seeking Ambient Intimacy

This led me to another conclusion. The underlying motivation for this behaviour is our newfound reliance and desire for ambient intimacy. For the first time in history, we have the ability to stay in touch with hundreds of people at a time . And its clear that we absolutely love it. But I would suggest that it’s not the actual information that we need, its the comfort in the availability of the network. We are seeking the safety. In its most basic terms, the network creates an ongoing flow of messages that say:

1. I exist.
2. I’m ok.
3. You exist.
4. You’re ok.
5. The channel is open.
6. The network exists.
7. The network is active.
8. The network is flowing.

That list was created by Grant McCracken, and I think it perfectly captures what social networking is all about. Anthropologists and linguists refer to this type of communication as phatic, a form of expression whose only function is to perform a social task, as opposed to conveying information. The runner’s wave is also phatic, it has no real meaning attached to it, but it is a social cue. Embedded in this type of communication is a sense of security, and we quickly get hooked to it.

Understanding this concept has huge implications for my industry (marketers) because it adds a contextual layer to the types of content we are developing. Its not necessarily about what you are creating, but how its being created and delivered. Let me give you an example.

Creating a Platform

At Versett we were asked to develop an internal branding campaign for a large manufacturing company. Their primary goal was to ensure that employees understood the corporate objectives at each of their five regional offices spread across Canada. As we dove into the research phase, we noticed that their wasn’t a lot of interaction between the various offices, especially amongst the front-line employees. This triggered an interesting thought experiment — Can we create a tool that creates corporate ambient intimacy?

To create a phatic link to the company and its employees, we installed multiple TV’s in all of the public locations in each office and developed a series of infographical screens that flowed and updated throughout the day. The design is built on a grid system of different cards— each one shows a different aspect of company culture or information about the company.

Example of one of the rotating touch screens

While the content is interesting and important, its not the primary function of the channel. The core purpose of this information is to create a sense of security through ambient intimacy within the corporate context. The phatic messages being sent are:

1. My company exists
2. My coworkers are here
3. We are working together
4. The channel is open
5. We are moving forward

In the words of Marshall McLuhan, it really is about the medium, not the message.

I would love to hear about similar campaigns or results, please feel free to email me or reach out on Twitter.