Caring capitalism and the return of a pariah brand: Your Marketing Week
At the end of every week, I look at the key stories, offering my view on what they mean for you and the industry. From the chances of a fairer society to the return of a pariah brand, it’s been a busy week.
Caring capitalism
There were no shortage of think pieces at the beginning of lockdown about the seismic change enforced isolation would bring. Many predicted the time we were afforded to take stock would lead to reappraisal of what was important, while the slowdown in life and decline in use of gas guzzling vehicles would usher in a new era of sustainable living.
Elsewhere, it was said the time spent checking in on the mental and physical health of family, friends and colleagues, as well as the Thursday night ‘clap for carers’, would leave a legacy of looking out for one another. All told, some suggested we were entering a period of kinder, caring capitalism that would have a lasting impact on brands.
Much of this was proffered in the haze of April and May, when lockdown seemed manageable, even preferable. As the summer progressed, frustration grew and yearning for the old world increased. Most ‘change forever’ predictions began to feel quaint, rushed and vastly overstated.