In the face of so much suffering, how should we think about the work we do? Let’s take a moment to pause and reflect.
This headline over at Marketing Week sums up our head space as we sit down to write this.
When things get heavy—in our personal lives or in the wider world—it can be hard to figure out how to show up. Difficult to find urgency and meaning in the work we do.
Our suggestion (no surprise here) is to allow yourself time to reflect.
For example, it’s a great time to pause and look closely at your digital ad spend and make sure it isn’t inadvertently funding misinformation. These suggestions from the WFA are a great starting point.
If you want to take it a step further, consider supporting the excellent work the Check My Ads Institute are doing in this area.
It’s also a great time to remember that, as Mark Ritson once put it, “a true brand purpose doesn’t boost profit, it sacrifices it.”
Speaking of which, Jeffrey Sonnenfeld at Yale is tracking the corporations that have ceased doing business in Russia. Consider reviewing his list before you finalize your next partnership.
Or before you choose your next agency. Sonnenfeld also lists companies that remain tied to Russia. It’s a relatively short list, but it includes quite a few big agency networks.
Moments like this can also remind us to put our working lives in perspective. In the grand scheme of things, most of what we do all day isn’t monumentally important.
That doesn’t mean it can’t be meaningful. There are many paths you can take to find purpose in your work. Even when events in the wider world stop making sense.
