Humanizing Brands & Value Based Marketing

I am going on 14 years in marketing and the longer I am in this space, the more clarity I gain about what good, effective marketing looks like and the impact it can have on society. For example, Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty, launched in 2004, socialized conversations about real bodies and in my mind propelled us (albeit way too slowly) to where we are with the #bodypositivity movement today.

What ultimately sets some companies apart is that they are able to look beyond the product or service they sell to the deep-rooted value that they ultimately bring to the marketplace. Dove was able to think beyond soap and moisturizer to the meaning behind the simple act of using good quality beauty products: “I care for myself.” “This body may not look like a runway model’s but it matters.” Or even more significant, “I deserve to take up space in this body, with all of its beautiful imperfections.”

When companies anchor their work in human-centered values, they serve up a rally cry internally for their employees. They offer up a reason to get up every morning and get to work. In his book Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl shared his belief that humans are motivated by a “will to meaning,” that the motivation for living comes from that meaning. Are we so compartmentalized as humans and have we convinced ourselves that we don’t need as much meaning in our work and in our companies as we do in our personal lives? I would argue against this. We are whole beings, and there must be authenticity across all aspects of our lives. And in choosing to align ourselves with deep meaning, we are on the path to create lives worth living. Companies that know and implement this stand apart, and this focus on values and meaning is foundational to their success, both internally and externally.

From value-driven companies, you get value-based marketing. Dove found the secret sauce when it elevated the conversation and was able to talk about what really matters. They found a way to answer the big, looming questions in a customer’s mind: “So what?” “Why should I care?” And very quickly, before a consumer’s attention turned to the next product they were being sold.

So how do successful brands like Dove gain lasting power and an edge on the competition? I think the distinguishing factor is that in the process of promoting values that matter, companies are able to humanize their product or service. This is crucial, whether you work in education nurturing young minds or spend your days coding for a software company. You have a greater calling beyond grade books and the code you are looking at all day. In some small or large way, you make a difference in a customer’s life. You may not ever meet that customer but hence lies the beauty. Through the marketing your company does, you have the opportunity to make a human connection, to take a pause in the noise that marketing generally is and say, “I see you. I see your need. Here is how I can help.” What a breath of fresh air that is. Who couldn’t use that in their day?

My mission statement as a marketer is humans first, whether the team members I am responsible for or the company I work to promote. This kind of thinking drives my work and energizes me to look beyond daily stressors and frustrations to see the big picture. I strive to embody the kind of energy and vision I want the organizations I work for to have—that we really can make a difference, that living true to your values will always get you further, and that the human element matters above all else.