We’re pleased to say that we’re contributing towards an exciting new blog called Conservation Economy that’s launching this week. Head to www.conservation-economy.org and check it out.
There’s some fantastic contributors from a range of marketing, advertising, communications and innovation backgrounds all looking to provoke a debate that fundamentally questions the role of our industry in driving consumption. There’s already some fantastic posts up on there that are worth a few minutes to digest as well a set of resources if you want to get more information.
Our first post published on Conservation Economy is below, so have a browse and let us know what you think.
WHAT IS IT, EXACTLY, THAT YOU DO?
Here’s a question. What do you tell other people that you do?
In fact, have you ever stopped, paused for a second, and reflected on what you’re actually doing? Or gone one step further. And also asked yourself why?
This is not easy stuff. It’s a line of enquiry with the potential to get deep, meaningful and unravel itself faster than you can say ‘psychotherapy’. Or even ‘nutter’. It’s hard to step back and see the things that shape how you view the world. It’s hard because it’s a hard thing to think about. Full-stop.
Yet, these questions are absolutely central to this debate we’re starting. They are the key if we want to unlock the door in how businesses meet their social and commercial agendas in the face of seemingly impossible resource challenges.
So why is this sort of change such a real challenge to our industry?
First, we’ve had it all a bit too easy. We’ve been on a comfortable, lucrative journey where it’s normal to put the serious issues to one side and get on with the fun job at hand – growing the consumption economy. We haven’t learnt to sacrifice or place value in things other than profit.
Second, we’ve got really good at driving consumption-based economics. It’s a well-oiled machine, quite literally. We’ve ridden the wave where the answer was always growth and more growth. The system thrived on it. The training taught for it. The rewards incentivised it. And no-one questions it.
Third we’ve created very little evidence for or indeed aspiration to experiment with new social business models. New ideas that can both turn a profit and contribute positively to society. Put more simply, we need more success stories to point the way to the future.
Lastly, and maybe most importantly, it’s challenging to step away from the herd. We’re part of a generation that’s had very little to get behind. Sure, we might have felt part of a movement – a sense of belonging from being part of rave culture – the tribal feeling of supporting a sports team. But we’ve not personally been to war. We’ve never had to ration. We’ve never really been under attack. We’ve never been on a real mission.
Coming back to my original question. I’ll be honest. I’ve never really succeeded in explaining what I do. Just ask my mum.
It’s not because what I do is that hard to explain.
It’s because what I do is loosely called “marketing”. And “marketing” is part of business. And business has become part of a world that seems somehow distant to many, or even most people. An alien, impersonal and slippery game of snakes and ladders that’s a couple of steps removed from the nuts and bolts of how most normal folk think.
The closest I’ve ever got to a tangible answer was making soap. My mum had heard of Procter & Gamble. I was a scientist in product development and she was proud of me, especially as I was using my biochemistry degree. But she was still disappointed that I’d not followed my dreams of being the next David Attenborough. Or been a doctor. Or done something that, you know……was worthwhile…was good.
I’m excited by this debate because for the first time, I’m seeing an opportunity to reconcile what I’d previously seen as irreconcilable challenges.
To put the insight and creativity skills that sit at the heart of marketing to much better use. To help create new social norms where we reset the dials a little in a more balanced way, and build more aspiration around innovative, sustainable business models and brands. To tackle head-on the niggling feeling I keep getting that the world does not need yet another ill conceived, profit-grabbing line extension to that brand.
To be able to proudly and clearly answer the question about what I do to anyone who asks, and not get punched or laughed at (too much!).
It’s exciting because it’s not business as usual. It’s radical, challenging and important. And when I explained it to my mum, she got it – first time; and it was good.