Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Thanks'very'much'for'joining'today’s'FutureView webinar,'“Thinking'of'Others.”''I'am'J.'Walker'Smith,'Chief'Knowledge'Officer'for'Brand'and'Marketing'with'Kantar'Consulting.
Before'we'begin,'a'few'preliminaries.''This'webinar'is'being'recorded,'so'if'you’d'like'to'refer'back'to'it,'you'can'find'it'behind'the'Growth'Hub'tab'on'our'website.''The'web'page'link'is'shown'in'the'bottom'right'corner,'where'you'will'also'find'a'PDF'of'this'deck'with'slide'notes.
We'won’t'have'time'for'questions'here'today,'but'you'can'contact'your'Kantar'Consulting'or'US'MONITOR'account'person'or'submit'questions'through'the'chat'function'and'we'will'followRup'with'you'later'individually.
1
These%FutureView webinars%were%begun%as%end2of2the2year%predictions%about%the%year%to%come.%%In%the%early%2000s,%we%changed%our%focus%to%key%dynamics%and%big%shifts%in%the%marketplace%that%we%felt%could%benefit%our%clients%with%a%more%in2depth%discussion%and%introduction.%%We%conduct%these%two%or%three%times%each%year.%%We%have%anticipated%trends%such%as%the%sharing%economy,%on2demand%services,%algorithmic%shopping,%and%even%the%attitudinal%disaffection%that%played%a%part%in%the%2016%elections.
Today,%I%want%to%focus%on%this%idea%that%we%call,%“Thinking%of%Others.”%%For%the%past%half2century,%hyper2individuality%has%been%front%and%center%in%the%marketplace.%%Indeed,%there%is%a%view%that%this%has%only%intensified%and%increased%as%antagonism%and%division%have%grown.%%But%I%will%offer%another%view%today.
We%see%a%different%trajectory%of%the%consumer%mindset%and%the%marketplace%of%opportunities.%%Selflessness%not%selfishness%is%the%future.%%Thinking%of%others%not%thinking%more%of%oneself%is%the%new%aspiration.%%People%want%more%connection%not%more%absorption.%%We%see%a%profound%shift%of%emphasis%underway%with%“thinking%of%others”%as%an%emerging%opportunity%for%brands%to%get%ahead%of%the%curve.
2
I"want"to"talk"about"this"topic"in"three"parts.
First,"I"will"outline"a"critical"pivot"in"values"that"has"redirected"people’s"aspirations"and"lifestyles,"and"thus"the"direction"of"the"marketplace.
Second,"I"will"dig"into"this"as"a"shift"in"the"reference"points"people"use"to"make"sense"of"their"lives.""This"is"rooted"in"a"well?known"idea"from"social"psychology"known"as,"quote/unquote,"social"proof.""This"is"directly"relevant"to"the"ways"in"which"brands"and"retailers"create"and"communicate"persuasive"selling"propositions.
Finally,"I"will"share"a"series"of"examples"showing"how"consumers"are"redefining"status"and"value"in"terms"of"sacrifice.""Doing"without"for"the"good"of"others"is"a"new"aspiration"that"will"endure"in"the"context"of"this"pivot"in"values"and"redefinition"of"reference"points.
Let’s"start"with"the"values"pivot.
3
As#marketers,#we#focus#a#lot#on#trends#and#changes.##But#most#of#what#occupies#our#attention#is#derivative#stuff,#not#the#core,#fundamental#pillars#of#the#consumer#marketplace#— because#these#cornerstone#elements#rarely#change.From#the#standpoint#of#bedrock#values,#there#was#only#one#pivot#in#the#latter#half#of#the#20th century.##It#occurred#in#the#midA1960s,#and#it#was#the#now#wellArecognized#shift#from#civic#values#to#individualism#as#the#central,#driving#dynamic#in#society#and#the#marketplace#— personal#freedom,#selfAabsorption,#selfAdiscovery,#selfAfulfillment,#selfAexpression,#selfAactualization,#and#all#of#the#other#facets#of#an#intensive,#singleAminded#selfAorientation.It’s#referred#to#here#as,#quote/unquote,#dealignment#because#this#is#the#term#used#by#political#scientists#who#observed#the#earliest#manifestation#of#this#shift#in#Gallup#tracking#data.##In#October#1965,#the#percentage#of#Americans#identifying#as#Republican#or#Democrat#reversed#two#decades#of#steady#allegiance#and#moved#significantly#downward.##University#of#Michigan#political#scientist#Philip#Converse#first#reported#this#enormous,#mass#dealignment#of#people#with#political#parties,#setting#off#decades#of#research#and#debate#about#it.It#wasn’t#just#politics.##It#was#every#major#institution#— government,#mainline#religious#denominations,#universities,#medicine,#journalism,#big#companies,#you#name#it.##The#midA1960s#was#when#people#lost#faith#in#the#institutions#that,#up#to#that#point,#guided#America.What#people#turned#to#instead#was#themselves.##Faith#in#self#replaced#faith#in#institutions.##Where#institutions#once#manned#the#tiller,#self#now#piloted#the#helm.Economics#and#management#theory#changed,#too.##The#sort#of#benevolent#corporate#paternalism#preached#by#the#legendary#management#guru#Peter#Drucker#was#quickly#shunted#aside#in#favor#of#the#unfettered#free#market#competition#championed#by#Nobel#prizeAwinning#economist#Milton#Friedman#and#the#soAcalled#saltwater#economists#at#Chicago#and#Rochester.##Deregulation#unleashed#markets#and#opened#up#opportunities#for#individuals#to#operate#free#of#any#social#constraints#or#obligations.People#had#permission#to#think#only#of#self.##And#this#way#of#thinking#has#been#dominant#for#more#than#50#years.##But#recently#this#has#begun#to#change.
4
In#the#mid*2010s,#something#occurred#that#was#just#as#profound#and#as#fundamental#as#the#dealignment#
of#the#1960s.##The#Great#Recession#was#the#catalyst,#but#it#had#been#building#since#the#turn#of#the#
century.##More#and#more#people#had#begun#to#worry#about#the#loss#of#community#and#so*called#social#
capital.##Harvard#political#scientist#Robert#Putnam#brought#attention#to#it#with#his#2000#bestseller,#Bowling(Alone.##Exacerbating#these#worries#was#the#advent#of#the#Internet#era#that#was#going#on#at#the#same#time.##But#it#was#the#cataclysmic#betrayal#of#trust#and#welfare#by#these#unbridled#forces#that#led#to#the#
2008#financial#meltdown#that#set#in#motion#a#shift#in#priorities#from#thinking#of#self#to#thinking#of#others.
Momentarily,#we#will#see#this#in#the#data.##For#now,#I#just#want#to#make#note#of#the#basic#fact#of#this#
realignment.##Instead#of#‘dealigning’#even#more#with#others,#people#began#realigning#— reconnecting,#
reengaging,#rebuilding#relationships#and#associations,#and#renewing#communities,#all#born#out#of#a#
reawakened#longing#for#belonging#to#something#bigger#than#oneself.
It#didn’t#happen#all#at#once.##Indeed,#it#took#until#2016#for#things#to#really#come#together.##But#this#shift#
was#well#underway#before#then.##People#used#to#care#less#about#others,#or#at#least#not#enough#to#
sacrifice#some#of#their#individual#and#personal#freedoms.##As#the#new#century#rolled#out#of#its#first#
decade,#this#began#to#change.#
And#this#began#to#change#for#marketing#no#less#than#society#as#a#whole.##The#importance#of#others#in#
buying#and#shopping#became#much#more#critical.##A#lot#of#this#has#to#do#with#digital#technologies,#of#
course,#but#this#shift#goes#well#beyond#technology.##So#to#provide#proper#context,#it#is#best#to#start#with#
broader#societal#shifts,#which#are#both#good#and#bad.
Nowadays,#people#are#thinking#of#others#to#the#point#of#paradox.##We#are#thinking#more#of#others#in#lots#
of#good#ways,#but#we#are#thinking#more#of#others#in#some#very,#very#bad#ways,#too.
5
It#is#this#idea#of#thinking#of#others#that#helps#us#understand#the#senseless#tragedy#of#the#mass#shooting#in#New#Zealand.##The#shooter#livestreamed#his#crime#in#a#deliberate,#calculated#attempt#to#provoke#others.##He#didn’t#want#to#just#perpetrate#his#crime.##He#wanted#to#get#it#in#front#of#others#in#order#to#inflame#racial#politics#and#the#social#conversation#about#these#issues.##This#was#evil#fashioned#specifically#in#terms#of#thinking#of#others.
I#apologize#for#opening#this#webinar#with#a#raw#tragedy#such#as#this,#but#in#its#wickedness#it#spotlights#the#fact#that#others#are#much#more#a#part#of#how#everything#is#planned#and#calculated#these#days.##Fortunately,#it’s#mostly#for#good.
6
One$of$the$best$illustrations$of$how$thinking$of$others$has$moved$to$center$stage$is$the$open$letter$to$CEOs$that$BlackRock$Chairman$Larry$Fink$published$over$a$year$ago.$$He$urged$companies$to$focus$on$profits$and$purpose,$not$profits$alone.$$And$he$has$subsequently$underlined$this$by$emphasizing$the$need$for$corporate$leaders$to$step$into$the$leadership$gap$around$purpose.
Fink’s$message$has$been$criticized$by$many$who$feel,$in$keeping$with$Milton$Friedman,$that$only$financial$performance,$not$purpose,$should$inform$business$decisions.$$Fink$has$pushed$back$against$the$notion$that$purpose$is$bad$for$profits,$and$many$observers$have$pointed$to$studies$showing$the$superior$performance$of$purposeGled$organizations.$$This$includes$the$Purpose$2020$work$we$have$published$at$Kantar$Consulting.
But$whatever$your$view$of$this$debate,$the$point$is$that$this$realignment$around$others$is$driving$how$people$are$planning$for$the$future.$$Fink$has$pointed$out$that$the$future$belongs$to$the$next$generation$of$Millennials,$and$their$expectations$of$corporate$responsibility$are$much$more$aligned$with$this$pivot$towards$thinking$of$others.
So$this$is$the$paradox$of$good$and$bad$that$is$part$and$parcel$of$thinking$of$others.$$But$we$see$this$coming$together$of$opposites$in$other$ways,$too.
7
For$example,$even$as$thinking$of$others$is$in$ascendance,$the$General$Social$Survey$continues$
to$track$a$long;term$decline$in$the$percentage$of$people$agreeing$that$most$people$can$be$
trusted.$$This$is$an$oft;cited$trendline,$so$I$want$to$offer$a$couple$of$thoughts$to$put$it$in$proper$
context.
The$percentage$agreeing$has$always$been$a$minority$of$respondents,$so$it’s$hard$to$use$this$as$
a$metric$of$disconnection$because$it’s$always$been$the$case.
Through$the$1970s,$1980s$and$early$1990s,$there$were$year$to$year$swings,$but$if$you$were$to$
plot$a$line$through$the$first$part$of$this$trend$that$you$see$on$the$left,$it$would$be$a$straight$line$
of$no$change.$$It’s$only$since$the$mid;1990s$that$there$has$been$any$decline,$and$that$decline$
is$from$the$high$30s$to$the$low$30s$— or$in$other$words,$not$much$of$a$decline.
What$this$chart$really$shows$is$that$it$has$always$been$hard$for$most$people$to$feel$secured$by$
others,$and$this$is$true$of$slightly$more$people$than$ever.$$This$is$what$makes$the$pivot$of$
realignment$so$significant.$$Notwithstanding$our$mistrust$of$others,$we$are$finding$ways$to$
bridge$those$misgivings.$$These$data$are$just$one$part$of$a$pairing$of$opposites.
8
The$other$part$is$seen$here.$$Looking$back$15$years,$Google$searches$for,$quote/unquote,$helping$others$shows$a$growing$interest$through$the$mid@2010s$that$has$evened$out$into$a$steady$interest$that$is$a$good$bit$higher$than$it$used$to$be.
Whatever$people$say$about$trust,$they$are$thinking$more$of$others$when$it$comes$to$helping$people.$$And$helping$is$outward@looking.$$It$is$focused$on$others.$$It$is$not$self@oriented.$$This$interest$is$evidence$of$a$realignment$and$pivot$towards$thinking$of$others.
9
When%it%comes%to%community%and%cohesion,%politics%is%the%first%thing%that%comes%to%mind.%%And%I’m%sure%you’ve%been%thinking%about%politics%and%the%prevailing%narrative%of%division.
This%graphic%from%the%Pew%Research%Center%for%the%People%&%the%Press%is%probably%familiar%to%everyone.%%It%shows%the%ideological%distribution%from%liberal%to%conservative%for%Democrats,%in%blue,%and%for%Republicans,%in%red,%going%back%to%the%midD1990s.%%The%purple%overlap%is%the%ideological%middle%ground%shared%by%both%parties,%and%the%shift%of%distributions%to%either%end%since%the%early%2000s%is%cited%as%evidence%of%the%shrinking%middle%ground.
This%is%a%very%telling%graphic,%but%it%does%not%tell%the%full%story.
10
While&political&party&shows&a&growing÷,&few&people&live&their&lives&as&party&partisans&like&TV&talking&heads&or&Internet&trolls.&&Instead,&people&are&immersed&in&a&diversity&of&demographics,&and&none&of&these&show&a&growing÷&of&values.
This&is&another&Pew&chart&and&the&black&line&rising&to&the&right&is&the&conservative&ideological&gap&between&Democrats&and&Republicans.&&The&other&flat&lines&below&it&show&ideological&gaps&on&other&characteristics,&and&none&of&these&show&much&of&a&gap&to&begin&with&and&certainly&no&rising÷.&&Men&versus&women,&white&versus&black,&religious&versus&nonBreligious,&old&versus&young,&more&versus&less&education&— understood&in&these&ways,&we&have&a&lot&in&common.
There&was&a&long,&dataBpacked&column&in&The$New$York$Times this&past&Monday&written&by&a&professor&of&politics&at&the&University&of&London&who&studies&American&politics,&and&he&echoed&this&point.&&It’s¬&race&that÷s&us,&he&wrote,&but&racial&ideology,&and&racial&ideology&cuts&across&white&and&black.&&
In&short,&while&political&views&may&be&more&hardened&than&ever&into&opposing&camps,&people’s&daily&lives&are¬&spent&in&political&encampments.&&Most&people&are&thinking&of&others&in&united¬÷d&ways.
11
Also%on%Monday,%George%Mason%University%economist%Tyler%Cowen%wrote%about%this%topic%in%
his%regular%Bloomberg%column.%%Those%of%you%who’ve%heard%me%before%know%that%I%can’t%seem%
to%do%any%presentation%without%quoting%Cowen.%%He’s%a%popular%blogger,%a%bestselling%author,%a%
widely%quoted%authority,%and%my%favorite%public%intellectual.%%So%I’m%kind%of%glad%we’re%in%
agreement%here.
He%opens%his%column%with%these%three%sentences,%quote,%“If%I%had%to%describe%2019%so%far,%I%
would%characterize%it%as%The%Year%Political%Polarization%Started%to%Erode.%%I%know%that%sounds%
counterintuitive%— aren’t%partisans%at%each%other’s%throats%on%social%media%all%the%time?%— but%
bear%with%me.%%There%is%some%data%to%support%my%point.”
Lightning%rod%issues%still%provoke%people%but,%says%Cowen,%this%discord%is%creating%room%in%the%
middle%for,%quote,%“creative%rethinking”%that%is%bringing%people%together.
This%is%precisely%— and%exactly%— my%point.%%The%paradox%of%division%is%that%we%are%more%
united%at%the%very%same%time.%%Thinking%of%others%is%about%both%division%and%unification.%%
Recognizing%this%paradox%gives%us%a%clearer%view%of%how%to%navigate%the%marketplace.
12
It#also#offers#us#a#better#understanding#of#how#people#think#of#themselves#relative#to#others.
Our#U.S.#MONITOR#data#provide#a#discerning#view#of#this#dynamic.##On#the#one#hand,#people#think#of#themselves#as#less#divided#than#portrayed#by#media#headlines.
On#the#other#hand,#fewer#people#than#ever#report#shared#values.##Now,#it#was#only#7#in#10#at#most,#but#it’s#5#in#10#today.##
To#put#it#another#way,#people#don’t#believe#what#the#media#say#about#them.##But#people#do#seem#to#believe#what#the#media#say#about#other#people.##These#data#are#not#a#comparison#of#stated#values,#just#perceptions#of#values.##What’s#really#at#work#here#is#that#in#repeatedly#putting#stories#of#division#front#and#center,#as#media#outlets#across#the#ideological#spectrum#have#done#for#the#past#couple#of#years,#people#can#hardly#do#anything#else#but#think#of#others#every#time#they#tune#in#or#log#on.##News#stories#of#division#force#people#to#think#about#others#because#others#are#the#very#point#of#these#stories.
That’s#the#paradox.##Thinking#of#others#is#as#much#about#falling#apart#as#coming#together.##The#central#dynamic#is#not#division.##The#central#dynamic#is#the#pivot,#the#realignment,#the#shift#towards#thinking#of#others.
13
And$in$this$shift,$people$are$actually$thinking$of$others$more$warmly.$$This$is$yet$another$Pew$chart$showing$that$perceptions$of$nearly$all$religious$groups$have$improved$in$recent$years.$$Extremists$are$certainly$dangerous,$but$their$extremism$has$revitalized$the$middle$ground$of$tolerance$and$empathy.
14
This%is%apparent%in%other%ways%as%well.%%Google%searches%for%random%acts%of%kindness%always%peak%in%the%U.S.%around%the%first%of%the%year%when%Random%Acts%of%Kindness%Day%is%celebrated.
The%thing%to%note%here% is%that%these%peaks%have%gotten%higher% in%recent%years.%%People%are%thinking%more%of%others%in%kind%and%compassionate%ways.
15
Which%brings%us%to%our%first%stopping%point%of%reflection.
To%be%clear,%I%am%not%proclaiming%that%Americans%are%not%divided.%%In%fact,%it%is%abundantly%clear%that%there%is%a%lot%of%division%in%America.%%But%is%also%clear%that%this%division%is%often%poorly%portrayed%and%even%inaccurately%described.
What’s%generally%overlooked%is%that%in%the%midst%of%division%we%are%also%more%united%than%ever.%%Division%is%only%part%of%the%story.%%Division%is%even%giving%rise%to%more%unification%and%common%cause.%%In%many%ways,%people%have%become%more%divided%through%the%mechanism%of%becoming%more%united.%%The%full%story%has%to%take%account%of%both%of%outcomes%— more%divided%and%more%united.
Both%of%these%are%part%of%a%realignment%and%pivot%towards%thinking%of%others.
16
Divided&or&united,&people&are&thinking&of&others.
The&pivot&has&been&away&from&the&dealignment&to&self&and&towards&the&realignment&to&others.&&Self&as&the&wellspring&of&identity&and&engagement&is&giving&way&to&others&as&the&benchmark&for&lifestyles&and&decisions.&&Sadly,&this&can&sometimes&trigger&violence.&&But&the&bigger&dynamic&is&reconnection&and&nurture.&&People&are&reaching&out&more&and&more.
This&has&two&overarching&implications,&one&with&tactical&relevance&and&one&with&strategic&relevance.&&
What’s&at&work&is&a&shift&in&reference&points.&&This&ties&into&some&wellAknown&concepts&in&social&psychology&and&advertising.&&This&has&tactical&implications.
In&turn,&this&shift&in&reference&points&has&unleashed&a&drove&of&innovators&and&reformers&who&are&reinventing&aspirations&and&expectations&about&merit&and&value.&&This&has&strategic&implications.
Let’s&dig&into&both.
17
Starting(with(this(notion(of(new(reference(points.
18
The$dealignment$that$occurred$in$the$1960s$was$a$shift$away$from$traditional$institutions$and$norms$as$reference$points$for$advice$and$guidance$in$people’s$lives.$$People$turned$more$to$self.$$Self?help$became$a$mass$cultural$phenomenon$that$was$steered$by$gurus$and$visionaries,$and$often$cult$leaders,$who$promised$to$steward$people$to$self?awareness,$self?improvement,$self?empowerment,$and$utter$self?reliance.$$Even$so,$others$never$went$away.$$Others$just$took$a$back$seat.$$Others$were$involved,$but$self$sat$atop$everything$else,$and$self$was$the$reference$point$that$mattered$most.
The$realignment$occurring$now$is$putting$others$back$on$top.$$Self$isn’t$going$away.$$But$others$will$now$be$in$the$driver’s$seat.$$Others$are$emerging$as$the$chief$reference$point$for$engagement$with$the$marketplace.$$Others$are$becoming$the$purpose,$if$you$will,$not$self.
In$fact,$the$idea$of$social$proof$has$long$been$a$key$concept$in$social$psychology$and$advertising.$$This$is$simply$the$idea$that$we$use$external$reference$points,$generally$other$people,$to$draw$conclusions$about$ourselves.$$Context$matters$— social$context$in$particular.$$We$judge$our$wellbeing,$our$wealth,$our$standard$of$living,$our$accomplishments,$our$goals,$our$purchases,$our$shopping,$our$efforts$at$everything$relative$to$others.$$We$judge$things$in$relative$not$absolute$terms.
So$there’s$nothing$new$to$thinking$about$others.$$But$social$reference$points$had$diminished$in$importance.$$What’s$different$now$is$that$they$are$surging$back$in$importance.
And$to$make$a$more$nuanced$point$here$as$well,$nowadays,$social$proof$is$less$about$calibrating$self?improvement$and$more$about$gauging$social$relevance$and$social$contributions,$both$for$better$and$for$worse.
Let’s$take$this$even$one$step$further.$$People$are$thinking$of$others$in$a$new$way,$not$by$reviving$old$ways.
19
Let$me$illustrate$this$with$a$graphic$I$have$used$before.$$If$you’ve$seen$this,$please$bear$with$me.
Think$of$each$dot$as$a$person$or$a$consumer.$$ Before$the$dealignment$of$the$1960s,$we$were$
bound$together$as$a$civic$whole$by$a$ shared$narrative$of$meaning$and$values.$$
Yale$professor$David$Gelernter$contrasts$this$era$to$our$own$in$the$opening$chapter$of$his$book$on$the$1939$World’s$Fair.$$In$his$portrait$of$New$York$City$in$the$1930s$he$writes,$quote,$of$“something$that$accounts$not$only$for$the$modern$city’s$inability$to$draw$together$when$it$needs$to,$but$also$for$the$unmistakable$strangeness$to$our$ears$of$1939’s$way$of$expressing$itself…I$
refer$to…a$tone$of$voice…The$strange$foreign$note$you$hear$is$authority.”$$Gelernter$puts$the$word$authority$in$italics.$$Authority$bestowed$credibility$on$those$who$were$vested$with$it$by$rank$or$by$profession,$and$— quoting$Gelernter$again$— it$“allowed$ordinarily$skeptical,$sophisticated$people$to$suspend$their$native$incredulity…and,$within$bounds$of$reason,$to$believe$what$they$were$told.”
He’s$writing$about$a$shared$narrative$of$meaning$and$values.
20
But$then$it$went$away$after$the$dealignment$of$the$mid31960s.
Our$shared$narrative$was$replaced$by$individual$narratives$— plural.$$Self$took$over.$$And$this$touched$every$aspect$of$society$and$the$marketplace.$$Individual$fulfillment$became$the$single3minded$purpose$of$life.
Admittedly,$it’s$hard$to$conceive$of$anything$else$because$we$have$become$so$steeped$in$the$self3oriented$culture$of$the$past$half3century.$$That’s$exactly$why$Gelernter$says$the$language$of$the$1930s$sounds$foreign$— his$word:$foreign.
21
The$future$is$different.$$The$shift$from$individual$narratives$is$not$a$return$to$an$overarching$shared$narrative.$$Certainly,$people$are$becoming$more$united$and$more$connected$as$they$look$to$pivot$from$thinking$about$self$to$thinking$about$others.$$But$this$is$not$a$pivot$back$to,$say,$the$world$of$the$1930s.$$That$kind$of$authority$is$not$making$a$comeback.
Instead,$what$we$are$seeing$is$a$phenomenon$we$describe$at$Kantar$Consulting$as$Smaller$Worlds.$$This$has$been$a$key$part$of$our$U.S.$MONITOR$story,$and$it$was$the$topic$of$my$March$FutureView last$year.
Trust$has$bottomed$out$for$big$authorities$and$big$institutions.$$It$has$been$replaced$by$trust$in$these$smaller$worlds.
22
It’s%worth%saying%a%few%words%about%trust.%%Probably%the%most%famous%trust%chart%is%this%Pew%graphic%that%tracks%trust%in%government%back%to%the%late%1950s.%%You%see%where%it%fell%off%the%cliff%in%the%midA1960s.%%It%went%up%and%down%through%the%1980s,%then%peaked%again%at%the%end%of%the%2000s.%%Throughout%the%21st century,%trust%in%government%has%been%in%a%steep%slide.
23
But$it’s$not$just$government.$$It’s$all$institutions.$$This$chart$is$from$the$2017$Edelman$Trust$Barometer$and$it$shows$year@over@year$declines$in$trust$worldwide$for$all$four$of$the$categories$of$institutions$tracked$— government,$media,$NGOs,$and$business.$$The$was$the$time$that$declines$were$seen$for$all$four$in$the$same$year,$although$every$institution$has$been$in$long@term$decline.
24
Trust&data&like&Pew&and&Edelman&tell&part&of&the&story,&and&that’s&the&part&that&gets&all&of&the&headlines.&&But&loss&of&trust&in&big&institutions&begs&the&most&important&question&— who&or&what&do&people&trust&instead?&&Unfortunately,&data&like&these&don’t&tell&us.
Trust&has&disappeared&from&the&institutions&asked&about&in&the&surveys.&&But&trust&itself&hasn’t&disappeared.&&It&has&shifted&to&something&else.
This&is&the&shift&in&reference&points.&&Before&the&dealignment&of&the&midD1960s,&trust&was&in&big&authorities.&&Following&the&dealignment,&trust&was¢ered&on&self.&&Now&with&the&realignment&towards&others,&trust&is&found&in&smaller&worlds.&&
People&have&turned&to&smaller&worlds&where&they&believe&they&can&be&better&assured&that&those&they&trust&share&their&interests.&&In&smaller&words,&people&believe&they&can&find&greater&transparency&and&alignment&with&their&interests.&&They&are&picking&these&smaller&worlds&for&these&reasons.&&
Pundits&have&worried&about&this&immersion&in&smaller&worlds&as&echo&chambers&that&increase&divisiveness&and&unscientific&beliefs.&&These&are&legitimate&concerns,&but&we&saw&the&evidence&on&division&already.&&For&our&purposes,&it&is&simply&that,&for&better&or&for&worse,&smaller&worlds&are&where&people&are&finding&advice&and&guidance&they&can&trust.
Trust&is&no&longer&a&matter&of&authority.&&Instead,&it&is&a&matter&of&intimacy.&&If&brands&want&to&win&the&trust&of&consumers,&they&must&build&intimacy¬&assert&authority.&&This&is&uncomfortable&for&many&brands.&&The&levers&of&corporate&communications&are&familiar&and&readily&atDhand.&&But&consumers&want&intimacy.
25
In#our#Global#MONITOR#tracking,#we#ask#where#people#look#when#making#product#and#service#decisions.##This#chart#shows#global#results,#but#the#same#pattern#is#true#almost#everywhere,#including#the#U.S.
Just#a#few#years#ago,#official#information#from#brands#enjoyed#a#16#percentage#point#advantage#over#other#people#on#social#networks.##Now,#brands#are#basically#equal#to#other#people#and#trending#down.
Reference#points#have#shifted.##When#making#marketplace#decisions,#people#are#now#thinking#of#others.
26
All#data#that#focus#on#telling#the#complete#story#about#trust#show#this.##This#is#a#small#survey#I#ran#across#online#asking#about#customer#reviews#of#local#businesses.##Needless#to#say,#the#opinions#of#others#shape#those#decisions,#and#increasingly#so.
27
This%shift%to%thinking%of%others%manifests%itself%in%other%ways%as%well.
This%is%U.S.%MONITOR%data%going%back%a%decade%that%asks%about%brands%that%show%off%success%to%others.%%Those%agreeing%are%always%in%the%minority,%but%over%time%the%percentage%thinking%of%others%when%buying%brands%has%shifted%up.%%
This%percentage%was%always%below%30%percent%until%2014,% after%which%it%has%always%been%above%30%percent.%%It’s%a%small%change%for%a%small%group%of%people,%but%it’s%a%definitive%shift%from%a%lower%level%to%a%higher%level.
Everywhere%you%look,%there%is%evidence%of%this%realignment%towards%thinking%of%others.
28
Here’s&another&example&from&research&I&saw&online.&&It&comes&from&an&A/B&conversion&test&of&content.&&User;generated&photos,&especially&interactive&photos,&are&more&effective.
There&is&a&personal&connection&here&in&interacting&with&others&that&boosts&marketing&returns.
29
But$it’s$not$just$interaction.$$It’s$dialogue.$$It’s$people5to5people$connections.$$People$want$engagement$in$the$marketplace$to$be$more$of$a$people5to5people$dialogue$than$a$brand5to5consumer$contract.
You$see$this$on$the$rise$everywhere.$$Food$and$dining$are$now$about$sharing$photos$with$other$people.$$Restaurants$have$had$to$change$the$presentation$and$recipes$of$dishes,$even$lighting$and$decor,$to$stay$relevant$and$meaningful$in$an$age$when$thinking$of$others$is$what$it’s$all$about.
Chelfies — a$word$that$is$a$portmanteau$of$changing$room$selfies$— are$another$Instagram$phenomenon.$$Some$young$women$shop$for$clothes$by$taking$several$outfits$into$a$changing$room$and$locking$the$door.$$They’ll$try$on$one,$take$a$selfie,$post$it$on$Instagram,$and$wait$to$see$how$many$likes$it$gets.$$If$it$doesn’t$get$enough,$they’ll$put$on$another,$take$a$selfie,$and$post$it.$$They$do$this$until$an$outfit$finally$hits$the$threshold$of$likes$it$takes$to$buy.$$This$is$shopping$where$nothing$in$the$store$— not$the$salesperson,$not$point5of5sale,$not$the$windows,$nothing$— closes$the$sale.$$Instead,$this$is$all$about$the$conversation$— the$social,$people5to5people$conversation.$$Brands$and$retailers$have$got$to$figure$out$how$to$be$a$part$of$the$conversation$that$is$driving$decision5making.$$Or$how$to$facilitate$and$foster$conversations,$and$earn$favorability$that$way.
Brands$can’t$interrupt.$$But$they$can$provide$things$for$people$to$converse$about,$places$for$people$to$converse,$and$ways$for$people$to$make$conversational$connnections.
The$conversation$is$what$people$look$to$nowadays.$$As$technology$makes$these$kinds$of$instantaneous$conversations$easier$and$faster,$no$shopping$trip,$no$ad,$no$new$product$will$ever$again$be$experienced$separate$and$apart$from$a$conversation.$$The$on5going$realignment$toward$others$goes$to$the$heart$of$the$path$to$purchase.
It$also$matters$a$lot$for$people’s$aspirational$expectations$about$brands$and$their$lifestyles.
30
As#people#pivot#to#thinking#of#others,#it#is#not#enough#just#to#use#them#as#reference#points.##People#want#to#commit#to#others#as#well.
Just#as#people#embraced#commitments#to#self,#often#to#excess,#following#the#dealignment#of#the#mid>1960s,#so,#too,#are#people#moving#now#toward#stronger,#deeper,#more#solicitous#commitments#to#others.##This#is#changing#people’s#aspirations#about#themselves,#about#their#lifestyles,#about#their#futures,#and#about#brands.
There#is#a#new#aspirational#mindset#on#the#rise,#and#it#is#all#about#making#sacrifices#for#the#good#of#others.##One#of#the#most#attractive#polestars#of#intimacy#and#the#realignment#towards#others#is#making#sacrifices#for#others#rather#than#always#and#automatically#doing#things#for#oneself.
31
One$interesting$indicator$of$this$is$the$national$volunteer$rate$tracked$since$2002$by$the$Bureau$of$Labor$Statistics.$$The$rate$hovered$around$27$percent,$plus$or$minus,$until$2013$when$it$hit$the$lowest$rate$ever$measured.$$Admittedly,$these$are$small$movements$in$percentages$but$they$translate$into$lots$of$people,$so$even$these$small$shifts$matter$a$lot$to$volunteer$organizations.
32
The$percentage$hit$new$lows$in$2014$and$2015,$at$which$point$headlines$proclaimed$a$crisis$in$volunteering.$$But$this$was$premature.$$I’ve$mentioned$already$that$the$mid@2010s$was$the$turning$point$for$thinking$of$others,$2016$in$particular.$$And$you$see$one$example$here$with$volunteering.
33
In#2017,#the#volunteer#rate#hit#a#record#high,#exceeding#30#percent#of#all#Americans.##This#is#the#pivot#to#thinking#of#others#in#action.##It#is#thinking#of#others#not#just#as#a#reference#point#but#as#something#worth#committing#one’s#time,#something#worth#making#that#sacrifice.##It#is#not#just#calibration.##It#is#an#aspiration.
34
You$can$see$this$very$thing$at$work$as$well$in$Google$searches$for$the$term$altruism$— for$the$last$couple$of$years,$they$are$on$a$steady$rise$to$a$much$higher$plateau.
Remember$that$we$saw$this$very$same$pattern$in$an$earlier$trendline$of$Google$searches$for$the$phrase$helping$others.
This$is$the$realignment$around$thinking$of$others$as$an$aspiration.
35
One$percenters*are*part*of*this*aspirational*shift*as*well.
I’m*sure*everyone*is*aware*of*The*Giving*Pledge.**It*was*launched*by*Warren*Buffett*and*Bill*Gates*in*2010*to*encourage*wealthy*people*to*pledge*at*least*half*of*their*net*worth*to*philanthropic*causes.
As*you*can*see,*to*date,*190*pledgers*are*thinking*of*others*in*this*way,*with*an*aggregate*net*worth*just*shy*of*$1*trillion.
36
We#see#this#in#still#other#ways.##In#2014,#Elon#Musk#made#a#Patent#Pledge#not#to#enforce#any#
of#Tesla’s#patents#so#that#other#companies#could#use#them#to#build#and#market#sustainable#
products#of#their#own.
Now,#clearly#there#is#strategic#business#thinking#behind#this#about#openEsource,#integrated#
platforms#built#around#Tesla#technologies.##Nor#is#Tesla,#by#any#means,#the#first#firm#to#do#
something#like#this.
What’s#different#is#the#professed#spirit#in#which#this#pledge#was#made.##As#Musk#wrote#in#
announcing#this#pledge,#quote,#“Tesla#Motors#was#created#to#accelerate#the#advent#of#
sustainable#transport.##If#we#clear#a#path#to#the#creation#of#compelling#electric#vehicles,#but#then#
lay#intellectual#property#landmines#behind#us#to#inhibit#others,#we#are#acting#in#a#manner#
contrary#to#that#goal.”##
Whether#or#note#you#believe#him#and#whether#or#not#all#the#criticisms#of#the#particulars#of#this#
pledge#are#valid,#this#pledge#was#articulated#as#an#action#motivated#by#thinking#of#others.##This#
pledge#was#expressed#in#the#same#sort#of#aspirational#terms#used#by#Larry#Fink#regarding#
what#business#should#be#all#about,#which#is#that#sacrifices#should#and#must#be#made#when#
needed#for#the#good#of#others.
37
Patagonia(has(also(tapped(into(this(aspirational(sensibility(of(making(sacrifices(for(the(good(of(others(with(its(public(pushback(against(growth(in(its(Responsible(Economy(and(Worn(Wear(initiatives.
Its(anti>growth(campaign(has(had(the(paradoxical(effect(of(boosting(growth(for(Patagonia.((However,(Patagonia(is(quick(to(point(out(that(there(is(good(growth(and(bad(growth.((Without(getting(into(those(details,(the(point(is(that(sacrifice(does(not(mean(forfeiting(success.((It(means(achieving(success(in(the(right(way,(and(increasingly(that(requires(putting(others(first(rather(than(thinking(only(of(self.
This(more(than(adding(purpose(to(profits.((This(is(incurring(or(accepting(or(imposing(a(cost,(with(no(expectation(of(any(return,(only(doing(the(right(thing(by(thinking(about(others(first.((This(is(sacrifice(as(an(aspiration(not(as(a(bottom>line(calculation.
While(sacrifice(can(more(than(pay(itself(back(sometimes,(the(true(essence(of(sacrifice(is(not(to(do(so(with(that(hope(or(expectation.
38
Here’s&my&favorite&example&of&making&a&sacrifice&but¬&forfeiting&success.&&It’s not&a&brand&or&a&company,&but&a®ular&person&who&was&standing&in&line&to&buy&a&lottery&ticket&in&South&Carolina&and&allowed&another&customer&to&cut&in&line&ahead&of&them,&who&bought&a&lottery&ticket,&too.&&The&person&who&made&this&small&sacrifice&of&their&place&in&line&then&bought&their&ticket,&which&turned&out&to&be&the&jackpot&of&all&jackpots&— $1.5&billion!
That’s&sacrifice&with&no&expectation&or&calculation&of&a&better&return&— just&doing&it&because&it’s&the&right&thing&to&do.
That’s&the&emerging&aspirational&sensibility.&&Sacrifice&as&a&lifestyle&priority.&&Sacrifice&as&a&shopping&consideration.
39
Let$me$say$more$about$this.$$And$to$do$so,$let’s$focus$on$the$societal$realm,$and$then$circle$back$to$the$commercial$realm.
We’ve$already$taken$a$look$at$volunteering,$where$people$are$thinking$of$others$more$than$ever.$$But$other$things$have$emerged$as$well.
Impact$investing$is$one$of$these.$$It’s$the$idea$that$there$is$money$to$be$made$by$entrepreneurs$and$investors$who$invest$for$social$impact.$$In$fact,$there$have$been$a$flurry$of$stock$exchanges$opened$since$2010$for$soDcalled$social$enterprises.$$Not$all$of$them$have$survived,$but$they$reflect$an$interest$in$finding$avenues$for$private$capital$to$do$public$good,$which$is$to$say,$opportunities$to$put$money$behind$thinking$about$others.
Returns$matter,$but$the$intangibles$of$doing$good$for$others$are$often$the$kind$of$return$that$matters$most.$$Whatever$is$foregone$commercially$is$a$sacrifice$worth$making.
Effective$altruism$has$garnered$even$more$attention,$and$we’ll$talk$about$that$next.
What$runs$through$all$of$these$is$the$idea$of$sacrifice,$and$they$run$from$left$to$right$in$greater$degrees$of$sacrifice.$$This$movement$to$ever$more$sacrifice$is$the$forward$direction$of$the$marketplace$and$the$aspirational$mindset$of$the$future.
I’m$going$to$take$you$through$a$series$of$examples$next.$$What$you$see$afoot$in$these$examples$is$a$shift$in$the$conversation$and$process$of$legitimizing$a$new$way$of$engaging$with$one$another$and$the$marketplace.$$It’s$not$mainstream$yet,$but$it$is$the$future.$$The$conversation$we$are$having$with$one$another$is$changing.
40
To#start,#let’s#remind#ourselves#very#quickly#about#effective#altruism.##This#is#a#philosophy#rooted#in#the#utilitarian#thinking#of#philosopher#Peter#Singer.##He#advocates#an#ethic#in#which#people#make#decisions#about#themselves#and#others#based#on#cost@benefit#calculations#of#where#financial#contributions#can#make#the#biggest#difference.##For#Singer,#the#existence#of#extreme#poverty#makes#this#a#moral#imperative.
Singer#advocates#the#use#of#charity#evaluators#to#determine#which#charities#generate#the#best#returns#or#the#greatest#impact#for#money#spent.##These#calculations#borrow#directly#from#economics#and#actuarial#science.
41
Singer'argues'that'people'should'donate'a'large'portion'of'their'annual'income'to'high4impact,'cost4effective'charities'— because'greater'utility'flows'from'that'than'from'spending'those'monies'on'oneself'or'for'other'types'of'philanthropy.''Singer'himself'donates'one4third'of'his'annual'income'to'charity.''Organizations'founded'to'promote'and'foster'effective'altruism'such'as'Giving'What'We'Can'recommend'at'least'10'percent.''Since'its'founding'in'2009,'nearly'4,000'people'have'have'a'made'a'pledge'through'Giving'What'We'Can'for'an'aggregate'total'of'$1.5'billion'over'the'course'of'their'lifetimes.''
The'Founders'Pledge'is'another'organization'that'recruits'startup'founders'to'make'a'legally'binding'commitment'to'make'a'charitable'donation'of'at'least'2'percent'of'the'proceeds'they'earn'from'selling'their'business.''In'the'three'years'since'its'founding,'over'400'entrepreneurs'have'pledged'nearly'$700'million'in'estimated'equity.
Very'explicitly,'what’s'at'work'in'effective'altruism'is'sacrifice.''While'this'will'certainly'strike'many'of'us'as'an'overreaching'moral'imperative,'lots'of'people,'especially'among'Millennials,'find'this'compelling,'if'not'a'reality'for'themselves,'at'least'an'aspiration'worth'celebrating.
42
And$it’s$not$just$money.$$It’s$jobs$and$careers,$too.$$William$MacAskill$is$bestselling$popularizer$of$effective$altruism,$who$argues$that$people$should$take$jobs$that$maximize$their$abilities$to$contribute.$$
He$coCfounded$an$organization$called$80,000$Hours$that$evaluates$and$compares$careers$in$terms$of$their$potential$for$the$greatest$impact.$$FollowCyourCpassion$is$something$80,000$Hours$advises$against.$$They$argue$that$ruleCofCthumb$not$only$fails$to$guide$people$to$fulfilling$careers,$it$lands$people$in$careers$that$thwart$their$potential$to$contribute.$$Giving$up$one’s$passion$is$the$necessary$sacrifice$to$do$the$most$good$for$others.
43
Statistics'on'followers'of'effective'altruism'are'hard'to'come'by.''But'Google'searches'certainly'confirm'that'this'is'a'topic'that'has'spiked'in'interest'since'the'mid<2010s.''The'national'conversation'is'changing.
44
One$extreme$version$of$effective$altruism$is$earning$to$give.$$This$involves$earning$as$much$as$possible$while$spending$as$little$as$possible,$and$giving$the$difference$to$charity.$$The$irony$of$this$is$that$jobs$in$finance$are$very$popular$among$these$followers$of$effective$altruism.$
45
A"2013"story"in"The$Washington$Post brought"effective"altruism"into"the"national"conversation,"even"prompting"a"philosophical"rebuke"from"New$York$Times columnist"David"Brooks.""The"story"profiled"Jason"Trigg"who"took"a"took"a"job"at"a"hedge"fund"to"earn"as"much"as"possible"so"that"he"could"give"half"of"it"away"to"his"charity"of"choice.
Trigg"took"this"job"because"of"the"salary.""He"would"have"preferred"an"academic"position"in"computing"or"doing"biological"research"about"cancer.""But"he"made"a"career"sacrifice"so"that"he"could"earn"to"give.
46
Effective(altruism(is(only(the(tip(of(the(iceberg(for(sacrifice(as(an(aspiration(and(lifestyle(commitment.((Public(protests(are(having(an(even(bigger(impact(on(the(national(conversation(—for(example,(the(Extinction(Rebellion.((
In(May(of(last(year,(100(academics(in(the(U.K.(signed(a(declaration(to(launch(the(Extinction(Rebellion(on(October(31.((This(declaration(declared(that(the(social(contract(between(government(and(people(broken(because(of(governmental(inaction(on(global(warming(and(the(imminent(threat(of(mass(extinction.((They(called(for(a(Citizens’(Assembly(to(bypass(government(and(work(directly(with(scientists(on(decarbonization.
47
Many%Extinction%Rebellion%activists%have%pledged%to%make%sacrifices%to%accomplish%these%ends,%including%arrest%and%incarceration.%%In%just%the%past%several%months,%dozens%of%protests,%occupations,%swarming%roadblocks,%graffiti%attacks,%dieAins,%and%other%acts%of%largeAscale%civil%disobedience%and%direct%confrontation%have%been%carried%out%across%the%globe.
48
Academics)are)being)forced)to)accept)other)kinds)of)climate5related)sacrifices)as)well.))Universities)around)the)world)are)taking)actions)to)limit)or)prohibit)air)travel)to)academic)conferences)because)of)the)carbon)footprint)of)airplanes.
49
It’s%not%just%university%professors%and%their%allies.%%The%girl%pictured%here%is%Swedish%high%school%student%Greta%Thunberg%who%gained%international%attention%when%she%refused%to%go%to%school%for%several%weeks%as%a%protest%to%demand%that%the%Swedish%government%reduce%carbon%emissions%to%levels%set%by%the%Paris%Agreement.%%Instead,%she%sat%outside%the%legislative%building%each%day%with%this%sign%that%reads,%“School%Strike%for%the%Climate.”%%After%the%Swedish%general%elections%last%September,%she%continued%to%strike%every%Friday.
50
Her$example$of$sacrifice$and$commitment$has$inspired$students$across$the$globe$who$have$staged$hundreds$of$other$strikes$demanding$action$on$global$warming.
There$is$no$doubt$about$what$this$generation$of$Centennials$is$demanding$and$willing$to$accept.$$Greta$Thunberg$addressed$a$plenary$assembly$at$the$UN$on$global$warming$last$December,$and$on$the$same$day$SecretaryCGeneral$Antonio$Guterres$had$this$to$say$about$climate,$quote,$“This$is$the$time$for$political$compromises$to$be$reached.$$This$means$sacrifices,$but$it$will$benefit$us$all$collectively.”
51
By#the#way,#it#is#not#just#climate#for#which#sacrifice#is#the#new#aspiration.##Pictured#here#are#members#of#a#U.K.#group#called#End#Deportation#who#put#their#freedom#on#the#line#by#chaining#themselves#to#a#charter#airplane#at#London’s#Stansted#Airport#to#prevent#the#deportation#of#60#undocumented#immigrants.##
52
The$broad$emergence$of$sacrifice$as$an$aspiration$betrays$a$festering$disillusionment$with$capitalism$that$took$root$in$the$long,$stagnant$recovery$following$the$Great$Recession.$$Millennials$found$themselves$at$the$greatest$disadvantage$and$they$are$now$the$vanguard$of$a$new$politics$of$socialism.$$
You$see$here$the$cover$story$The$Economist published$a$month$ago.$$Needless$to$say,$the$piece$and$the$accompanying$editorial$were$critical.$$But$whatever$the$criticism,$Millennials$are$thinking$differently$about$the$obligations$and$duties$of$citizens$and$government.$$
Millennials$are$demanding$more$equality$of$both$opportunities$and$outcomes,$and$that$means$sacrifices.$$One$could$dismiss$this$as,$quote,$“taking.”$$But$Millennials$might$argue$back$that$capitalism$has$permitted$“taking,”$too.$$The$difference,$they$might$say,$is$that$capitalism$is$taking$to$keep$whereas$they$aspire$to$taking$to$give.$$Mind$you,$I’m$not$offering$any$kind$of$endorsement$or$opinion$here.$$I’m$just$proposing$that$we$will$better$understand$this$through$the$lens$of$sacrifice$as$an$aspiration.
53
This%is%the%Gallup%tracking%chart%that%spurred%The$Economist$story.%%Opinions%about%socialism%per%se%haven’t%budged,%neither%in%total%nor%for%18?29%year?olds.
But%opinions%about%capitalism%have%declined%since%2016.%%Among%young%people%the%17?point%advantage%capitalism%had%over%socialism%in%2010%has%reversed%to%a%6?point%advantage%for%socialism,%with%positive%views%of%capitalism%well%below%half.
54
Politics(reflect(this.((The(Momentum(movement(has(nearly(captured(the(Labour party(in(the(U.K.((And(the(U.S.(mid>terms(last(November(ushered(in(historic(firsts(for(all(kinds(of(groups(ready(to(disrupt(politics(as(usual.((
With(the(Green(New(Deal,(AOC,(as(she’s(popularly(known,(staked(out(a(new(aspiration(for(her(generation.((As(critics(note,(the(particulars(of(the(Green(New(Deal(are(sketchy(and(mostly(impractical,(but(this(is(not(about(the(specifics.((This(is(about(a(new(narrative,(a(new(sensibility,(a(new(inspiration,(a(new(purpose.((This(is(about(a(new(aspiration,(and(one(that(inherently(entails(thinking(of(others(and(making(whatever(sacrifices(are(necessary.((In(other(words,(it(is(about(a(shift(in(the(tone(and(focus(of(the(national(conversation.
55
This%is%not%just%progressive%politics.%%Conservative%New$York$Times columnist%David%Brooks%has%signed%on%for%double<duty%to%lead%Weave:%The%Social%Fabric%Project%of%The%Aspen%Institute.%%He%wants%to%learn%how%the%social%fabric%of%community%is%being%built%and%restored%at%the%local%level,%and%then%nationalize%it.%%He%calls%the%people%doing%this%weavers%and%he%says%what%they%share,%quote,%is%“an%ethos%that%puts%relationship%over%self.”
This%is%thinking%of%others.%%One%of%the%weavers%Brooks%admires%is%a%woman%who%was%in%the%process%of%moving%out%of%her%troubled%Chicago%neighborhood%when%she%saw%two%little%girls%playing%with%broken%bottles%in%an%empty%lot.%%At%that%moment,%she%told%her%husband,%quote,%“We’re%not%moving%away%from%that.%%We’re%not%going%to%be%just%another%family%that%abandoned%this%place.”
That%is%the%essence%of%sacrifice%for%the%good%of%others.%%And%it%is%moving%into%the%national%conversation%as%aspiration%and%status.
56
Brands'must'work'hard'to'learn'the'new'rules'of'a'realignment'towards'thinking'about'others'— in'particular,'the'aspiration'of'sacrifice.
The'Nike'ad'featuring'Colin'Kaepernick'is'good'illustration'of'this'shift'in'the'national'conversation.''Kaepernick'says'in'it,'“Believe'in'something.''Even'if'it'means'sacrificing'everything.”''This'was'highly'controversial.''But'all'of'the'controversy'centered'on'the'word'believe.''People'rallied'around'or'resented'a'brand'making'a'statement'of'belief'or'purpose.
But'Kaepernick'said'something'much'more'fundamental,'something'that'I'think'spoke'to'the'future.''He'used'the'word'sacrificing.''What’s'aspirational'here'is'not'simply'belief.''It’s'sacrifice.''It’s'the'willingness'to'make'a'commitment'for'the'good'of'others'even'when'it’s'bad'for'you.
That’s'what'people'want'from'leaders.''It’s'what'they'want'from'brands,'too.''They'want'brands'that'are'thinking'about'others'and'doing'whatever'it'takes.
57
Sacrifice(is(the(new(dynamic(at(work(in(the(marketplace.((Brands(must(connect(with(it,(and(learn(to(work(with(it.((It(is(part(of(the(on:going(realignment(and(pivot(towards(thinking(about(others.
Brands(must(find(meaning(and(deliver(value(through(intimate,(visceral(connections(to(others.
Brands(must(understand(the(new(reference(points(of(success(and(value(that(are(found(in(thinking(about(others.((This(is(definitely(uncomfortable,(but(for(those(of(you(who(have(heard(me(and(my(colleague(Bryan(Gildenberg talk(about(growth(in(uncomfortable(places,(this(is(in(keeping(with(that.
Finally,(brands(must(leverage(others(and(the(sacrifices(required(to(find(legitimacy(and(to(signal(a(meaningful(message(to(consumers.((It(is(all(about(what(you(give(up,(not(what(you(get.((And(for(those(of(you(who(have(heard(me(talk(before(about(“Live(Large,(Carry(Little,”(this(is(in(perfect(keeping(with(that.
58
Thank&you&again&for&your&time&today.
Please&contact&your&Kantar&Consulting&or&MONITOR&account&person&for&any&follow@up.
Thank&you.
59
