A new business mantra...? Doing right...and proving it.

I am well aware that many people in business are already trying to do the right thing, but somehow, as I look at the world Millennials and Generation X have grown up in, I can’t help to think that they are going to expect so much more from the companies and brands they engage with as they mature.

Their foundation in tech from birth is well talked about, but as much as that has brought the world to their fingertips – it has also shown how few places there are to hide and sneak away. This 360? immersion will surely have an impact on expectations as they move up the generational ladder.

From the spectacular level of incompetency displayed by the organisers of the Fyre Festival to feeling sold out by Facebook – the mothership of their social inauguration – after the Cambridge Analytica scandal. It feels impossible for them not to ask the question about what is authentic and who is really doing what they say they are doing?

That is not to say that many businesses are not already being honest and doing the right thing. However, it feels that in a content heavy marketing world, there are not the checks and balances that should be in place to ensure that digital content is truly a reflection of the physical.

Being honest, means being honest both sides of the spectrum – so it should be ok to say, “yes we make money but …we don’t pollute the planet, we give-back to our loyal customers through local communities and look after our staff”. Making money shouldn't be dirty words. At the end of the day, we all know this is what businesses set-out to do…so displaying evidence of how you use your success to support your customers and the things they care about – may well become a bigger part of the transparency which will get your customer to remain loyal. The true test of this will be how Mark Zuckerberg comes good on his promise of a privacy-rich social network, alongside keeping his shareholders happy.

In a world where the march of tech, and more particularly, social tech has gone largely unregulated, I don’t think we are wrong to make a connection between the increase in those experiencing mental health issues and technology. Therefore, it probably wouldn’t be so far-fetched to think that as this generation matures, starts a family, understands themselves better, and takes a leading role in business that they begin to ask for more from the industry/sector/businesses that benefited from this new medium and for which they were unwittingly a testing ground.

As the world is looking to separate the real news from the fake news, a company which is valued for its honesty, authenticity and how it looks to do the right thing in its sector – whether that is creating more eco-friendly packaging, supporting mental health initiatives or supporting the local community (which is tangible and evidenced) - will surely be attractive for those that want to spend their money with organisations that make a real effort to do good.

On the flipside, those that are doing real things in the real world but not packaging this up effectively or shouting about the small successes which make a big difference to an individual’s life, may well be sitting on a goldmine.

Lagommarketing.co.uk