Is the pandemic driving a new marketing rebellion?

A friend commented to me the other day, “The Marketing Rebellion is happening right before our eyes. In the crisis of the pandemic, big companies are being forced to demonstrate true compassion and empathy. They have to be more human. This is what you predicted in your book.”

That’s a very nice compliment, but is it true?

My friend is referring to a manifesto I wrote calling for more human-centered marketing — outlined in my book Marketing Rebellion: The Most Human Company Wins.

I’ve contended that small companies are ideally positioned to be “the most human company” in their communities, but large brands are too locked into obsolete ideas about marketing and agency relationships that prevent them from adjusting to new consumer realities. They’re asleep.

Is the pandemic forcing companies to adopt a more human approach, and will this transcend the crisis?

Are companies waking up?

“Of the community”

One of my favorite lessons from the book comes Fabio Tambosi, now a brand executive with Adidas. He provided an example where he created highly-successful World Cup promotions in the streets of cities, neighborhoods, and the poor favelas of Brazil.