Eroding brand values are damaging society
In the worlds I inhabit of leadership and communications, we talk a lot about purpose, vision, and values. These should be embodied by an organisation in an inspiring way, and ideally in a manner that places communities and the environment at the fore. Eroding brand values are damaging our society.
Values are easy to talk about, but action and behaviour show up the reality. And when values are ignored, people suffer.
Two videos really made me think about this over the weekend.
The first was from photographer Misan Harriman, who was powerful in his self-filmed response to Balenciaga, which has been heavily criticised for its now pulled Christmas campaign featuring references to child abuse.
Calling the fashion industry to account for its resounding silence, Harriman said:
“This is one of few situations where there is no grey area. There is no cultural nuance or political line when it comes to the safeguarding and protection of children. So, this could be a moment of reckoning for the industry that shows us where its moral compass lies…
“This moment is on you. You have to decide whether you can know that children are not being protected by the industry that feeds you and have what I would only describe as polite indifference. If we don’t see it, we don’t feel it. I pray this industry shows us who they are because the world is watching.”
An LBC caller to the James O’Brien show, who was appalled by the decision by ITV’s I’m A Celebrity producers to invite and pay Matt Hancock to appear on the show while he continues to earn as a sitting MP, similarly stopped me in my tracks.
The lady, who runs helplines for care staff and whistleblowers in the social care sector, said:
“The concept of celebrity has somehow marred this country… It’s got to the point where we need to look at this celebrity culture and think about our values and about what’s right and what’s wrong. Should entertainment not reflect our values as human beings?
“Most people, knowing what Matt Hancock has done, if they’d been on the end of our helpline, there would be no viewers of I’m a Celebrity. There would be zero viewers, if they heard what we’ve heard there wouldn’t be any programme…
“It’s appalling, the programme should be ashamed. We had care staff who were using sanitary towels as PPE, we had care staff that told us they were told to get used PPE out of dustbins… I am angry, I hope I’m always angry and I wish there were more people that were angry and disgusted. Then, there’d be hope.”
While different sectors and different scenarios, both examples are striking in their similarities.
Both luxury fashion house Balenciaga and I’m a Celebrity, through ITV, have power, money and influence, and access to the public at a scale many don’t. Both had a chance to model the way by setting an example for others to follow.
Referencing child sexual exploitation in an industry widely known for abuse was never going to end well, especially for a brand which says it is “pursuing progress within fundamentally important social issues”.
ITV says its social purpose is about “using the power of ITV to shape culture for good” and uses its “creativity and scale to inspire positive change in the world, and nurture a responsible and inclusive working environment.”
Yet Matt Hancock’s rehabilitation is now underway, thanks to exposure that other MPs can only dream of. That’s a dark legacy for a programme aimed at family viewing when a Covid inquiry has yet to ascertain exactly what level his poor decision making played in the deaths of 11,000 care home residents alone.