Building Brands On Joy And Happiness
--
Published in Branding Strategy Insider on January 5, 2022
In November, Niko Omilana opened a fake “not Apple” pop-up store in London (video here) to prank Apple and steal its customers, but also to send a message about the sky-rocketing prices of Apple products without much customer innovation or increased utility.
And although it might look daft at first, the idea behind it is rock solid. In fact, it’s genius. Just imagine how much joy brands could spread if they did a meaningless act like this once a year to make people happy and in turn strengthen their customer loyalty…
Using Brands Strategically As Vehicles For Social Good
And now, imagine if EVERY BRAND did this. How much our relationship with brands would change and transform. We wouldn’t see them necessarily only as vehicles of over-consumption and corporate greed. We would see them as vehicles for social good. Not selling us aspirational happiness, but generating real happiness.
National Lottery Boosts The Economy And Human Happiness
Bhutan has the highest rank of national happiness of all countries around the world. One of the reasons is their clever national lottery system that helps keep the economy and taxes afloat. Everybody saves their receipts and then at the end of the year someone wins the lottery. It boosts morale, happiness and the nation’s life satisfaction.
Reversing The Corporate Culture As A Force For Good
If the US and UK did this, we would have a profoundly different corporate culture on our hands… and with it a much different society. This is not rocket science, nor is it a utopia. It is the reimagination of consumerism as a force for good.
It is not necessarily about giving things for free, it is about spreading joy and giving people hope and their humanity back. It is about turning the dynamic of consumerism from brand aspiration to human wellbeing.
