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09.15.2005

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The State Of Hope... a Consumer Perspective

Tragedy and devastation certainly has dominated the news these past several months. First there was the tsunami in Asia that killed hundreds of thousands. Now, most recently, hurricane Katrina unleashed her fury upon the coastal regions of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Towns and communities wiped out, a major metropolitan city gone for the foreseeable future. The surge of emotion has been tremendous. With more than enough heartache, agony and anger to go around, one might think that hope would be in very short supply.

Yet, as we sit riveted in front of our televisions watching victims of the storm get plucked off rooftops by helicopters or bused out of the ravaged city to shelters and homes in locations near and far, and as we see people from all walks of life step up to help survivors and rescue workers, we realize that the human spirit is an enduring one; hope is fulfilled. As the recent American Red Cross advertising says, "Hope is bigger than any hurricane."

In troubling times, even in the worst of times, a common thread emerges, one that we've been discussing with you for quite some time: the human spirit, the consumer's soul. It is the soul that makes us human, that gives life meaning, warmth, individuality and, yes, hope. The more soulful we are, the more human we are, the more hopeful we are.

Prior to these life changing events, we had been talking with consumers, asking them the question, "where do you find hope?" Their responses told us that hope is alive and well. I suspect that if the question were posed today, in light of hurricane Katrina's aftermath, their responses would not be much different, perhaps just a bit more resolute.

The many voices of hope

Not surprisingly, in this open-ended online poll about a third of respondents said that hope is grounded in personal faith and spiritual beliefs, as this response typifies, "I have taken a lot of time to feed my spiritual and emotional needs. Hope grows from within and I find I am able to nourish it by taking time to notice the smaller things that make life worthwhile."

This need for a deeper meaning does not necessarily mean that it is played out in some form of organized religion as this response indicates, "I find hope when I go to church. It's not the religion; it's the light and positivity in the religion that keeps me going. Even when I go just to sob, something or someone there always comforts me."

While faith and spiritual meaning are important aspects of hope for many people, they are not the only source of connection: "My family is a secondary source of hope. I rely on faith and family to have a healthy, happy life." A few of others echoed this sentiment that hope can be found in a healthy lifestyle: "It is very important to keep oneself as healthy as possible. Natural is better."

For about one-fourth, hope is found in other people, particularly children. As one respondent articulated, "I find hope in the lot of the youth we never hear or read about, those who aid in projects such as fixing up a widow's home when they have no funds to do so."

Many others told us that they found comfort in just talking about hope and thanked us for the opportunity to do so. Particularly, this one woman who told us that she could never afford to own her own home based on the family's present income. She worries about keeping her kids away from the influences of gangs, rap music and violence on TV. She is extremely sensitive to the negative portrayal of black people as under-educated and as hoodlums. At one point, however, as her narrative sunk bottom it took a turn toward the light:

"The only thing I can do to try and get through every day is reflect on the fact that myself and my children are for the most part healthy and alive and we are together with a roof over our heads for the time being, which is more than some families have. I try to be grateful for what good is in my life and keep myself occupied so I don't think of all the rest. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to express myself on this issue. Talking about it helps to release the tension."

While there are many, many more examples we could share on how hope is found in faith, children, family, other people, nature, personal interests, and healthy living, perhaps this quote from Sam Donaldson, ABC News veteran and a cancer survivor, sums up "hope" best when he said, "cancer may not be contagious, but hope is."

Hope and the consumer

What consumers told us is that they are looking for something more than just buying products or services. They said they are seeking to connect with experiences, relationships and communities that have soulful elements - one of which we call hope.

This thing called hope is bigger than any brand or singular feature. People are living aspirationally - they want something better, not just for themselves, but mostly for their children. It isn't about the cost of stuff; it is about the meaning derived from their connection to the worlds in which they live.

Hope is a touchpoint for consumers to connect with brands. Now, more than ever a lifestyle brand or company that exudes authentic values, demonstrates them consistently and understands that their customers are looking for more than just SKUs is in many ways wanting to connect to hope. Customers respond and return to companies and brands that radiate this genuineness.

Hopeful implications

For all we have learned, because of all that people have shared, we are inspired to learn more. We will continue talking with consumers about how hope relates to various aspects of life and the world within which the live, shop and use products and services. And we will continue to reconcile the differences between what consumers say and what they do in the hope of providing answers to your many and varied marketing initiatives.

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