Advertising must be about more than greed, ego and fear, says Mounir Harfouche. Done right, it can make the world a better place
Unfortunately, I can’t separate the Trump phenomenon from everything else happening around us, especially in advertising and marketing.
You may well ask: why Trump?
Today, Trump is the true embodiment of where our industry is heading. And what does Trump stand for? He stands for the individual ego, the over-dramatised fear, the want over the need. A reckoning that true leadership has a greater purpose that serves as a lighthouse, guiding people to a better world.
‘Trumpology’ is the theory of selfishness and destruction, one that is limited to scoring personal wins, forgetting the greater reason to exist.
The principles at the foundation of brands and marketing also hold true for how leaders, nations and institutions are built. Everything should have a human purpose, a strategy and a plan or else it will ultimately fail.
Sadly, none of these principles is being followed. Today, we are all about the short-term gains, with very little thought given to human purpose. The new world has transformed the way we live, act and react. Competition is massive; everyone is a threat. Today we struggle to succeed, for greed is the new religion. No one to judge anymore; the right and the wrong are sleeping together and the future is a mess.
And in the eye of this Trumpology, the chaos of innovation and technology, the democratisation of creativity and entrepreneurship are all tools used to sell more. Products, ideologies, services – anything one can imagine, because this is becoming the only way to survive. As a result, we see a drop in quality, ethics and professional values. It has plagued the schooling system, businesses enterprises, politics and religion.
Trumpology has also infected our industry. Many brands are struggling in their old systems and perceptions. They lack this one vision that connects with people and turns their products into a brand that delivers on a human insight. They lack relevance because they have nothing to offer more than their products, and they lack value because they are adding none to people beyond the shelf.
Take Omo as a great example to follow. Unlike others, Omo took the high road and sought a greater role to play. It revolutionised the category by encouraging dirt. Omo understands that kids need to be encouraged to get dirty because by exploring and playing they develop their mental and physical abilities. Suddenly the reason for Omo to exist has become purposeful. The problem has become the solution and the role of the brand has gained credibility.
Trump is like those many other detergent brands. He is not thinking beyond the shelf. He does not want to understand the need behind the need so he could suggest realistic and positive solutions that would break people’s fear and trigger better living for all.
If brands will not assume the responsibility they have, they will fail themselves and the people. People’s sentiments need a vision that could elevate their situation. They need brands to bring real change that will improve their everyday being. Their loyalty will be conditioned from now on. They will expect brands to participate in their development, health, education, safety and comfort.
Let’s take Unilever as an example. It’s a purposeful company. Why? Because its mission is about something more profound than just selling products. Unilever understands that the future of its business is a better world. Led by a great man, Paul Polman, it is committed to playing a major role in the future of our planet, by contributing seriously to better, sustainable living; improving health and wellbeing, reducing environmental impact and enhancing the livelihoods of millions around the globe. Unilever understands that as one of the most powerful companies in the world, it has to invest its position and make the future of the world its own responsibility.
Dubai is a city that started with a vision that has quickly become a great purpose with a plan. It too has realised that a successful performance is directly linked to the wellbeing of its people. So it found its greater purpose: make the people that live in Dubai the happiest. Simple, human purpose is driving the strategy of every governmental and non-governmental body. It is at the core of every investment and every development. Dubai wins the approval of every resident, simply because it managed to create a collective ambition that fits the aspiration of all.
Toms. With every product you purchase, Toms helps a person in need. One-for-one. How great is this. To be able to turn a simple business model into a major corporate responsibility by believing that the brand can improve lives through its business and vice versa.
Apple. Steve Jobs’ purpose for Apple was to make a contribution to the world by making tools that advance humankind. It revolutionised the way we work, learn, play, create and connect. It empowered people and industries by creating new possibilities for an entire new generation.
People need more from all of us.
So I invite everyone to rethink their reason to be. To appreciate the responsibility that we are given as leaders in any field by realising that we can and should contribute to help build a better world.
We need to realise that a better environment is a happier society. A safer city is a positive state of mind. A profitable business is a productive consumer. A great nation is based on inspired citizens.
We must realise that brands should find their soul and that advertising should tell their stories in a truthful and inspiring way. Otherwise, people will no longer vote for us.
Accept my apology but the future doesn’t need Trumpology.
Mounir Harfouche – CEO of MullenLowe MENA
