Spread kindness
The one thing we can all agree on is that we’ll never agree on everything. That said, brands have the opportunity and responsibility to leverage their power to be change agents in 2021. Now is the time for brands to insert themes such as empathy and kindness into their marketing communications.
The impact of the negativity of 2020 will continue to be felt for the foreseeable future, amplified by unprecedented unrest and division. This is where brands should lead the changing of the social conversation. Not the government, not the media, not the anonymous social media disrupters, but brands.
It Takes One
Consider the psychology of “mob mentality,” also known as “herd mentality.” It describes how humans adopt behaviors based on their circle of influence and explains how one’s POV can be easily altered by those around them. Sadly, we’ve been seeing this manifested in unbelievably negative ways.
But what if brands leveraged their role in society for positivity? Take the mob mentality and turn it into a frenzy of kindness and respect for others’ opinions? Positivity and kindness are infectious—just as much as negativity and chaos. We choose what we put out into the world via our attitudes and behaviors—it all comes full circle. Brands do the same through their marketing communications.
Be That Dancing Guy
Consider this video of the guy who started dancing on his own at a music festival. Within 23 seconds of hitting the record button, another person joins dancing guy, and then another, and then another. This one guy started a movement, literally.
Brands can be that guy. The one who leads a change in how we communicate with one another.
Redirect the Energy
As we kick off the new year, let’s be agents of change. This should extend into our personal and professional lives. By resolving to be kinder to one another, we can have a big impact. Here’s how:
The vast majority of people peacefully protest things they’re passionate about. Sadly, it’s the few that are trying to be Insta-famous that ruin it. Then, we have the media amplifying this reckless behavior as if everyone is behaving this way. The cycle is taking its toll. The whole, “my opinion is right and yours is wrong” is exhausting. Regardless of our political views or faith traditions, we are all culpable.
It’s impossible to be happy with negative energy. They can’t co-exist. What we decide to give energy to is what will occupy our minds, in the workplace, and in our culture. Sadly, we’ve collectively poured gas onto a fire built by a tiny group of Americans by feeding the negativity with attention.
We all see it. We all experience it. Brands have to navigate it.
The Power of Light
Have you ever contemplated the literal power of light? I’m talking about the power of a candle in a place of absolute darkness.
The Earth's surface curves out of sight at a distance of 3 miles. But our visual acuity extends far beyond the horizon. If Earth were flat, you could see a candle flame flickering up to 30 miles away. 1 candle=30 miles. Wow.
In much of society, we’ve extinguished the lights in how we go about our daily routines. You know the light I’m talking about: doing something kind for someone else or being supportive of someone who needs it or just being a friendly face in a dark crowd.
Social media has become a mouthpiece of negativity. It’s where weak people criticize others behind an often anonymous identity with no accountability. It has become expected and accepted.
Empathy
For too long, many marketers have gotten so formulaic in their brand-building approach, buoyed by the industry’s over-fascination with big data. They’ve become extremely disconnected from the human beings behind the word “consumer.” In reality, only 5% of these so-called “consumers” say brands understand them. This disconnection is even more prevalent in the New Heartland.
Brands must go deeper than the data, starting with empathy for their customers.
Kindness Revolution
To use Ed Horrell’s book title, Kindness Revolution, let’s revolt against the humble-brag, Karen-fueled interactions with each other. Take the power back from the media who think all we want to see is gloom and doom. Why do you think they end news broadcasts with feel-good stories??? Because we LIKE them!!
Kindness Builds Brand Equity
If being kind isn’t a high priority for you personally, then consider the effect it has on your employees, customers and overall business. In his book, Grow, Jim Stengel points out the correlation between companies that have strong “brand ideals” and their financial success. “…a brand ideal is a shared goal of improving people’s lives. A brand ideal is a business’s essential reason for being, the higher-order benefit it brings to the world.” He goes on to say that, “brand ideals are what enable today’s greatest companies to set pace in their categories and leave their competition far behind.”
You’ve undoubtedly heard about the “Butterfly Effect” coined by Edward Lorenz. He uses an example of how a hurricane could be formed “by minor perturbations such as the flapping of the wings of a distant butterfly several weeks earlier.” Small things can have a significant impact.
We have a call to change as a nation—not based on political views but on mutual respect and care for one another.
With a new year upon us, the time is now for us to embrace the opportunity to stop complaining about how bad things are or how divided the country is and make a change. Today. With me. With you.
