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Make Friends and Ask Permission: How to Become a Force for Good
We believe passionately that business and brand can and will be instrumental in building a better world: smarter, fairer, healthier and more inclusive. In fact, we've recently helped a global lifestyle brand with a radical cause-related project in New York. The experience taught us a lot about how brands can help causes effectively and become a force for good.
We love to see brands get involved with important causes, but it's important to recognise that good intentions can sometimes backfire. Here are our top five tips for becoming a successful movement-maker:
1. Make Friends
Remember that when you get behind a cause, you also become part of a movement. Be generous and make friends with fellow movement-makers, and make sure those friendships stay active and healthy.
2. Immerse Yourself
Always meet people where they are. In a recent project, we worked with our friends at Bridge Partnership to bring executives of a leading lifestyle brand to New York to experience a series of immersive interactions, all designed to help them better understand their brand's mission to celebrate inclusion. They met with community activists and went to the events, clubs, art galleries and spaces where their customers are. By leaving their comfort zone, they were able to engage with communities on the communities' own terms.
3. Seek Permission
Ensure that you have permission from people affected by a cause before you join the conversation. Test the water with advocates and activists, and speak to your customers. This will give you a good sense of how your brand's voice can (and can't) add value to the conversation. If you just wade in, you can come across as self-centred and tin-eared - even if your intentions are good.
4. Listen
The best opportunities come when brands and businesses listen properly. Start genuinely two-way conversations with fellow movement-makers. Above all, act on what you hear: ask how you can help, and be prepared to make changes to your plans accordingly.
5. Know Your Place
Movements are all about co-creation, collaboration and openness. Don't try to "own" a cause or movement: think about how your a brand can empower others, promote alternative ideas and inspire new audiences.
This is an abridged version of an article that originally appeared in Salt magazine. The full article can be read here.