Art & Commerce: New Heroes of June

This month we all watch as yet another group of baby-faced graduating seniors step into their grown-up lives. And in doing so, we are ever conscious of the heroes to whom they look for guidance.Since 1968, the graduating class of Harvard has held an annual Class Day that takes place the day before the official commencement ceremony. For this event, the seniors—not the administration—select a speaker to impart words of wisdom as they begin their journey into the real world. Mother Teresa, Hank Aaron and Tom Brokaw are among the many serious cultural icons to have taken the podium to share their truths about life. The original speaker for Class Day was to be the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. However, his assassination occurred prior to the event. The students invited his widow, Coretta Scott King, to speak in his place, and on Wednesday, June 12, she addressed the graduating class of 1968 by saying: "As young people, as students, your lives have been greatly affected by the loss of these champions of freedom, of justice, of human dignity and peace. ... Your generation must speak out with righteous indignation against the forces which are seeking to destroy us." A powerful message delivered in a time of political strife and youthful rebellion. Today's global political environment is not much different. Given that reality, it is interesting to see who young people turn to today for advice as they head out into the mire of the real world.The latest speaker invited to carry on this time-honored tradition at Harvard was Peter Griffin, the main character on the hit television series The Family Guy. (Being an animated character, he was played by Seth MacFarlane, the man behind the series.) Griffin's most poignant piece of advice to the graduating class of America's most-renowned higher education institution was, "We need smart people like you to understand how cars work, become president and invent things like Band-Aids and cheese in a can."MacFarlane also spoke as two other of the show's characters, Stewie and Quagmire, both of whom imparted their own words of wisdom. This is not an anomaly. Recent classes have requested encouragement from Will Ferrell and Ali G, who wore a special Harvard track suit for the occasion.Um…what?Are we witnessing the degradation of civilization? Are these really the modern heroes our brightest minds are looking up to? Strangely, the answer is yes.Among today's youth culture, these unlikely satirists and their fictional personas are heroes. While they may lack the well-scrubbed sparkle of those whose place they stand in, they are no less worthy of the spot. These are inspirational truth tellers with whom young people share a common set of contrarian thoughts, beliefs and attitudes about modern-day society. Theirs is an inspiration based on idiosyncrasies rather than idealism.Traditional heroes, with their flawless and often seemingly impeccable idealism, can no longer be the primary motivators of today. No doubt that our contemporary leaders in business, politics, sports and entertainment have stretched the truth too often to capture the trust of today's young people. We likely have Enron, George W., Barry Bonds and Tom Cruise (among many others) to thank for that. Today's graduates have been conditioned to expect that many of their role models have skeletons in their closets. Every day, they witness how indiscretion, deception and double standards ruin careers, dismantle companies and destroy celebrity. It is no surprise, then, that their idols are those who draw attention to and champion total honesty, even when—and maybe even more so—it embraces our collective quirks and imperfections.As marketers, we must take heed. In this world of unsightly spin and scandal, telling the truth, delivered in whatever form, is a non-negotiable prerequisite to prosperity. No longer can brands rely on hollow perceptual differences or unsubstantiated brand platforms crafted out of thin air. Instead, brands must pull back the curtain to reveal the truth of who they really are and what they truly believe. But this isn't just about being "authentic" —clearly one of the most overused words in branding today. It's about taking a stand. What do you believe about the world? What are your truths? What are you for and against? And most importantly, why should young people believe you?Because every day, whether you realize it or not, your brand is standing at the proverbial podium delivering its very own Class Day speech to a group of highly skeptical consumers. We recommend that you choose your words very, very carefully.

Brand Marketing

Art & Commerce: New Heroes of June

Jeff Geisler

About

Subscriptions

Events

Publications

WORK SMARTER - LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED.

Subscribe today!

Jeff Geisler