Today, Hannah Reinhardt shares her thoughts about meeting the moment in uncertain times.
We are amidst a pandemic, have just reached the end of one of the most polarizing presidential elections in the history of the United States, are experiencing the devasting effects of climate change, the mental health crisis has never been more pronounced, and marginalized groups are still being marginalized to unacceptable degrees. And yet, this is just the current predicament. As a society we will need to brace ourselves for the aftermath of all of these atrocities. This aftermath will be another new normal and we all will need to adapt. With the complexity, sadness and unpredictability of 2020 there is no better time for brands to ‘meet the moment’. We need brands like we need each other during this time of the looming unknown. Extending our community will enable us to collectively move together into each moment, but what we don’t need is disingenuity.
I looked up what others think ‘meeting the moment’ means and what I found was encouraging. The crucial elements of how and why individuals should and can ‘meet the [hypothetical] moment’ spoke to some of the most foundational values instilled in responsible brands. Author and founder of Sensitive Evolution Maria Hill states, “It is a place that includes all history and the unknown, a way of seeing that allows the current reality, and a way of addressing what is important, not what we want or do not want…” See for responsible brands it is not only about taking action just because it is what is expected of them, but it is more than that. It is about holding true to their purpose, their values, their goals and being so enormously confident in their identity that when the time comes to ‘meet the moment’ they don’t have to concatenate responses out of thin air to meet the demands of the current climate. These brands simply look through their metaphorical tool kits of strategy that have served them through their history and will continue to serve them as they face the unknown. Looking in from a stance where I have a rough sketch of what it truly means to be labeled as a responsible brand—it is overwhelmingly encouraging to see brands not waiting for their time to ‘meet the moment’ but rather to embody the concept of continuously ‘living in, beyond and among these moments’. Citations:Bharwani, S. (2020, June 30). Healthcare brands stand out amid sea of COVID-19 messaging. Retrieved November 14, 2020, from https://adage.com/article/AcuityAds/how-make-impression-amid-sea-covid-19-brand-messages/2264446Forman, T., & Morgan, S. (2020, August 14). What Does Brand Purpose Mean in the COVID-19 Era? Retrieved November 14, 2020, from https://www.bynder.com/en/blog/what-brand-purpose-means-in-covid-19-era/Hill, M. (2019, January 17). Meeting The Moment. Retrieved November 14, 2020, from https://sensitiveevolution.com/meeting-the-moment/