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Empowerment means meeting people where they are to help them move forward with confidence in themselves and you.
From the cover of Trustworthy, illustrated by Rich Woodall.
Last month, I had the wonderful opportunity to speak with Women in Retail, a professional association of women who are executives of some of the largest retail organizations. This was my central message:
If you’re a brand that’s able to offer your audience information about the products available in your category, you can make them smarter. When you can empower your audience—not just sell them something—but when you can empower them with information, that’s when they’re more well-positioned to feel confident in themselves… and in you. And that’s confidence they can bring into other parts of their lives to beat back cynicism.
I’m so proud of this little video they produced around that message because it captures a central tenet of Trustworthy: business can be a force for good, and right now it’s more necessary than ever.
Of course, it’s not a new concept. Many organizations have championed this idea for years through corporate social responsibility efforts. Early in my career, I was a part of the team at Timberland. Often, it felt like we were selling boots specifically to underwrite employee volunteerism and investments in nonprofits like Share Our Strength and the Harlem Children’s Zone—and it was my job to tell those stories of corporate social responsibility.
I loved telling those stories. They made people a little smarter. They helped people learn what made the company unique and worthy of their dollars.
Corporate social responsibility is one way organizations can invest in the communities where they seek to sell their goods and services. But in many companies, that effort is a few steps removed from the day-to-day work. In Trustworthy, I write about how rebuilding trust by empowering our audiences is the work. It can be the work of marketing, design, copywriting, content strategy, and a whole host of roles that include those responsibilities.
Earn confidence by empowering your audience
This past Sunday, did you tune in to a couple hours of commercials punctuated by football?
Maybe your takeaway was like mine: on the field and off, everything felt obvious and expected. Most brands played it safe. Some brought back legacy themes or, like Jeep, aimed to sell on anodyne bids for unity.
Amid those messages, two organizations stood out: Indeed and WeatherTech. Ads from both brands corroborated the reality of employment in a tough economy. They earned confidence by empowering people with information—and some inspiration.
In January, unemployment exceeded 6% (more than 9% among Black Americans). Indeed spoke to the issue by depicting a diverse range of people—parents, people of color, older workers, recent college grads—using the site to move forward in their careers. WeatherTech centered the employee experience to speak about the value of finding an employer that appreciates you. These messages acknowledge the shifting reality that for many people, employment is tenuous, but opportunity is on the horizon and they’re not giving up hope.
Change is coming, but change starts with hope.
That message is more powerful than false bravado, gaslighting, or attempts to keep people in the dark. When we offer information that builds on a shared reality, we respect our customers and give them tools to make more confident decisions. Confidence builds trust.
Building trust is the business your business should be in to be a force for good.
This post was originally published as a newsletter to fans of Trustworthy. Not on the list? Sign up now!
