Two Factor Authentication
Hot take: 2FA is a good thing. It's my absolute least favorite good thing, but it's a good thing.
I'll be honest, I don't know how hot that take actually is. Maybe everyone is good with 2FA these days, but my recent stint working in higher education tells me otherwise.
Either way, two-factor authentication is a phenomenal security concept that has added a much-needed layer of protection in the digital age. The magic behind 2FA are the things it requires from a user to access whatever it is guarding. The keys to 2FA are:
Something you know. (like a password)
Something you have. (like an SMS code)
Pivot
The marketing word of Q2 2025 has been "Authenticity." I have 100% added my voice to that rallying cry. As the internet becomes more algorithmically generated, AI slop, users will cling to moments of authentic humanity. With the impending doom of that reality looming, every marketer on the internet is advising brands to "be authentic!" and every brand on the internet is saying "how though?"
There's tons of practical advice online about how to make your brand "authentic." You can portray authenticity in your design, in your messages, in your content, etc., and you can find tips and tricks on how to do that anywhere. But I want more than that for you. (Though, if you crave that advice, consider my TikTok!) I want you to get more than a tactic or a strategy, I want you to get it.
And so, let's talk more about two-factor authentication. (hell yeah, another long, drawn out metaphor!)
Something They Know
Disclaimer: I'm shifting perspective here. Note that "they" is your audience and not you.
If you want your brand to be "authentic," people need to know it. Not just like, be aware of it, but actually know it. You need to show people who/what your brand is. That goes beyond the product/mission statement/etc. You need to show people the culture, the process, the journey, the whole story.
There's this quote that I really like, "to be seen is to be loved." You have to let people see if you want them to love.
Something They Have
To quote prolific, American singer-songwriter, Hannah Montana, "Everybody makes mistakes. Everybody has those days."
Nothing is more off-putting or less authentic than perfection. It's the whole reason the uncanny valley exists and why you can always kind of tell when a picture is AI-generated. Authenticity is imperfect, and so are you/your brand. Let people see that.
Your perfectly curated Instagram grid of Canva graphics will never radiate the authenticity that a shitty cell phone video you recorded yourself will.
2FA Still Sucks
So does kale, but I still eat it.
As with all things, balance is the key. Your entire marketing strategy doesn't need to revolve around shitty cell phone videos you recorded yourself. You also don't need to enter a 6-digit code on every page of a website, but it's good that you need to sometimes.
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