Marketing Industry meets Therapy

I was at a conference today, entitled: "Stay Ahead of the Electronic Curve:  Digital Marketing, the Changing World of Targeted Communication".  There were some really interesting, energized (and energizing!) speakers.  Rahaf Harfoush publishes a book next month about her experience of helping Barack Obama's campaign.  She said lots of interesting and fascinating things, but what caught my ear was the approach that campaign organizers took to voters.  The interactive new media allowed people who cared and wanted to be involved in the campaign.The interactive new media allowed people who cared and wanted to be involved in the campaign to do so in ways which were respectful and empowering. It was a radical departure from talking "to" people to "with" people, from one way speeches to two way dialogue.

People could organize and post events they wanted to host.  Voters could get creative and implement novel ideas (like campaign motivated carved pumpkins!) or use their abilities to promote the movement (ObamaWorks were students from Yale who went out and lived out volunteerism wearing Obama gear--it went viral and others caught on--who wouldn't want to support a leader who got people raking leaves, collecting litter and making the world a better place?)  They built community and connection with "the little guys" who then actually became the "big guys" when called on.

Then Fan Wen, a prof at the Asper School of Business, spoke about "branding".  She said that in addition to external branding--logo, ads etc., one needs to internally brand--to create a cultural that reflects company values that employees feel and experience...both of these are rooted in "brand soul".  Yup, that's right--soul.  We usually don't associate those two words together, but she does..."We're people, we want meaning".  As she spoke, I wrote down words that she used:  inspiration, hope, empowerment, action-oriented, transforming, community.  Admittedly, she was using those words in a talk that would empower listeners to become better branders/marketers to sell product.  However, what was significant was her belief that advertising has to incorporate those values because those are values that the public feels are important and will respond to.

Throughout the day, over and over, the values of respect, invitation, empowerment, connection, community, conversation were repeated.  They get it.  The new media marketing world understands what people long for in relating to others, how we were created to be in relationship, how we light up when engaged and empowered. 

They get it.  Do you?