How to Master Navel Intelligence.

Confession here: I am a Lexiphile. Greek for “lover of words.”

A word nerd.

I believe words matter.

I agonize over every word in a sentence. By changing one word — the tone and tenor will change dramatically.

I’ve never been short on words. Ask any of my Creative Directors who love slashing my words. Ouch!

Leonard Lauder once told me I was too funny for words. An idea I seriously questioned!

I’m fond of dirty words. Fuck is my fave. And those who know me know I use it often.

On occasion I’ve had to eat my words. But, hey we all make mistakes.

I love to smush words together to make new words — a.k.a. a Neologism.

I rarely mince my words. In fact, I’m known for my brutal honesty.

I love to play with words in catchy phrases and combinations.

I love to make them rhyme.

My moniker has always been #wordsmitty.

My horse’s name is Wordsmith.

In past stories, I’ve shared some of my favorites.

Remember, Unfuckwithability?

Or my all-time fave.

My newest word?

Omphaloskepsis ➡ Navel gazing.

Why is it called navel gazing?

In a literal sense, navel-gazing refers to the ancient Greek practice of mediating by intently staring at one’s own belly button. Part of a mystical experience.

But the term is rarely used in this fashion.

It’s more often used as a derogatory meaning “being unusually absorbed in one’s own thoughts to the exclusion of all others.”

Selfish, self-indulgent, self-absorbed.

Merriam Webster notes that navel-gazing is a form of “useless or excessive self-contemplation”.

“What does this have to do with branding?”

Glad you asked.

Many brands suffer from Omphaloskepsis. In other words, talking to themselves.

If you’ve ever been cornered by some boring blowhard at a cocktail party, you know from whence I speak.

There you are plastered against the wall with a guy inches from your face. And he is going on and on and on detailing every minute detail of his life starting with pre-school till you’re ready to scream TMI, TMI. You scan the room hoping to catch the eye of someone who will rescue you. No luck. You’re stuck.

Hate that guy!

Yet, every day, brands become that guy.

A braggart who can’t stop talking about himself.

“Let me tell you about me.”

That’s navel gazing.

When all you do is talk about yourself, all you’re doing is talking to yourself.

People stop listening and turn their attention to someone else. Like your competition.

“The best conversations don’t start with what a commercial entity wants to talk about, they start with what an audience wants to hear.” Wrote Michael Lamb, Creative Strategist at M&C Saatchi.

Nike doesn’t yammer on and on about the durably stitched overlays or low-cut silhouette of their famed Air Force 1 sneaker. They talk about achievement. Invite you to join forces with communities around the world. Once again bringing inspiration to every athlete.

Apple doesn’t brag about gigabytes. The seduce you with how much more creative you will be using those gigabytes. Inspiring you to be one of the crazy ones who can change the world.

To cure navel gazing, start audience gazing.

Avoid the urge to add one more meaningless metric into your message. Great your product comes in a variety of colors. How does that make my life better? My day better?

Finally, resist trying to impress your audience with big words like Omphaloskepsis. As I have done here. Mea culpa!

As Sir Winston Churchill said: “However absorbed a commander may be in the elaboration of his own thoughts, it is sometimes necessary to take the enemy into consideration.”