My colleague (Susan Blank at QuestResearch Group) and I were, so we gathered data during the week of April 27, 2020 (from about 1000 Americans aged 18+) and found some interesting, and not-so-surprising insights.
One thing is for certain: experimentation and adaptation are the name of the game. New habits mean new opportunities for brands.
Check out our analysis below.
(if you’d like to download the infographic click here)
My colleague (Susan Blank at QuestResearch Group) and I were, so we gathered data during the first weeks since the pandemic started, and found some interesting, and not-so-surprising insights.
Check out our analysis below.
(if you’d like to download the infographic click here)
There are two kinds of people in this world:
1. Those who steep their teabags once
2. Those who steep their teabags twice*
Let me explain.
In a previous life, hubby and I used to drink a ton of coffee. However, since my acupuncturist wagged her finger at me and told me I need to cut waaaaay back to 1 cup per day** — David has joined me in solidarity… and has taken to drinking herbal tea throughout the rest of the day.
One morning, I noticed a buildup of teabags, one after the other, in a little bowl on our counter. In a rare effort on my part to keep things clean, I started to throw them in the compost bin.
One day, David caught me tossing his latest collection. “What are you doing? I was saving those!”
“For what?” I asked.
“For my next cup of tea,” he answered.
“Yeah, right. I’ve never seen you reuse a teabag.”
“But I want to. And one day, I might.”
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That’s when I realized those teabags were not trash. They were little wet bags o’ hope, that we might get a second cup of tea from the same bag.
Maybe it’s the shelter-in-place talking. Or my comfy pants. Or the Zoom meeting background photo-induced hallucinations. But this little action was a sign to me that change is possible. It was an optimistic reminder that we can do better. That things will be better. That we could all use an extra dose of optimism right now, not just at home – but in business, too.
I’m not gonna lie. Things are tough right now for the Pebble team. But I’m sure they’re tough for you, too.
There’s a *bleep*ton of things happening to all of us that we don’t have control over.
One audiobook that I’ve found helpful during all of this is about behavior design, called Tiny Habits: The Small Changes that Change Everything by BJ Fogg. It’s a good listen (or read if that’s how you roll), and it has me thinking about business in the time of COVID-19. Check it out.
Real talk, mkay. We don’t have (as much) control (as we think we do) over what happens. But we do have control over how we respond. We have control over WHAT WE DO.
This pandemic will challenge the ‘go big or go home’ mythology that business holds dear. So, what if this time isn’t about making ginormous, sweeping, seismic changes? Instead, what if it’s about focusing on the small, positive steps that move us forward (emphasis on small).
Two questions that have been helping me lately are, “What can I control? And what matters?” (I keep this little Venn diagram on my desk as a reminder. Maybe you’ll find it helpful, too.)
Diagrams, diagrams. Venn will they end?
Practically speaking, I’ve been reframing how I stay connected to clients and colleagues. For example, I’m sending more video notes to say hi and check-in. It fills my bucket (or cup, in this case) and my clients enjoy it, too. Small. Incremental. Action. And maybe a cup of quaran-tea, for good measure. *wink*
In the spirit of taking small, hopeful action: send a message to someone you know, love, or who needs to hear from you. And take care of yourself and your family. Be kind to each other. We’ve got this.
*Spoiler alert: I’m team reuse-your-teabag, for sure.
** Fear not. I’m a rebel and I still have 2 cups each morning.
For something a little different - my recent article Daring Creatively: 4 Things Marketers Can Learn From Brené Brown is featured in Better Marketing on Medium. Here’s a snippet, but do head over and read the post in its entirety if you’re inclined.
. . .
Last year, I started reading the works of the storyteller, vulnerability researcher, and bona fide Oprah BFF, Dr. Brené Brown. Her work resonates with me as a researcher and as a branding specialist. I’ve realized that what Brown has found in her work on vulnerability and shame applies to how businesses can build brands.
The marketing pendulum has swung toward an emphasis on media and data collection. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Better targeting can be good for the advertiser as well as help the intended audience connect with the products and services they want.
However, could this pendulum have swung too far?
Bob Hoffman said it well, “The online ad industry claims that they are entitled to some extra value — the value of knowing every little thing about us. This goes by the benign name of data collection, but what it really is is intrusive surveillance into personal aspects of our lives to which they have no legitimate claim.”
Brands have gone from earning consumer attention through interesting creative (a fair value exchange, in my opinion) to manipulating consumer attention by collecting, tracking, and selling people’s personal data. Is that branding, at all? How do you stand apart in a world where marketers have access to the same media platforms, channels, and data points?
Here is where creativity becomes, in the words of adman Bill Bernbach, “the last unfair advantage we’re legally allowed to take over our competitors.” Have advertisers thought more about the pipe, but forgotten about the stuff they send down it?
It’s the stuff in the pipes that is critical to building attention-grabbing brands. Yet it’s also the most challenging part for marketers to deliver.
And that’s where we can take inspiration from Dr. Brown.
I grew up in a loving, but strict household. There were some really important rules that I had to abide by, but I also had a strange amount of freedom in other ways.
Case in point: my mum was rather lenient with me about my appearance. For instance, when it came to my hair, I had the freedom to style it in some really crazy ways. This raised eyebrows at school sometimes. Like that time my mom attended a PTA meeting, and another mom said to her, “Emelia’s such a pretty girl. How can you let her LOOK like THAT?”*
For your consideration, Exhibit A (I mean, seriously. Look at those bangs.):
Mum simply told her (loud enough for the other parents to hear) — and I’m paraphrasing — “Because she’s a good kid and a hard-working student. And as long as she continues that way, how she chooses to dress or cut her hair doesn’t matter to me. It always grows back.” …Oh, and she told that mom to mind her own f-ing business.
(I made up that last sentence with the expletive. Mum doesn’t cuss. Too much. But you get the idea.)
Or when it came to my fashion choices…they were, ehem, unique. For instance, when I wore sheer dhoti pants to school, and the headmaster issued me a referral for the dress code violation because the pants were see-through and he wasn’t sure what to make of the leggings underneath.
Or that time I fashioned a makeshift sarong from the set of curtains in my parents’ bedroom because I liked the paisley pattern. My mum helped me wrap it correctly. And I was so proud it didn’t unravel and fall off during class.
And before you ask, No. I don’t have pictures of these fabulous ensembles. Because...pre-internet.
And why I wasn’t invited to the Met Gala is beyond me.
Now that I’m a parent myself, I realize that this was quite a brilliant parenting strategy on my mother’s part. During this formative time in my life, when I needed to experiment and find my individuality, this was a way for my parents to allow me the freedom to express myself creatively, while still ensuring I stuck to the “important” rules.**
So it probably won’t be a surprise when I tell you that, unlike my personal appearance, my studies were serious business and something my parents cared about deeply. Going to college was a non-negotiable.
And I was extremely lucky because while many of my friends had to work part-time jobs to pay for school or take out loans, my family helped me avoid student loan debt by paying for my education. (And don’t think I don’t know how privileged I am. I am thankful. Every. Day. Of. My. Life.)
Things are different for high school and college students nowadays. A good-paying job and economic security are not a given for today’s graduates. US wage growth has stagnated. The cost of living and healthcare? They’re going up. Student debt is debilitatingly high — causing many young people to put off marriage, children, and homeownership. Some are even wondering if they should go to college (which breaks my heart) for fear of being buried in debt when they graduate.
Which is why a project I recently worked on in collaboration with my colleagues at QuestResearch Group and our client Kaplan is interesting. And I’d like to share it with you here.
Some key takeaways from the research include:
Higher education is poised for some serious disruption
Parents are questioning the value of a US college education, and are looking for more affordable solutions
They place a high value on work, but also on the social skills that a college experience offers
If you want to get a glimpse into what we found about the future of work and higher education, then download the report here.
Until next time,
Emelia “Epic Bangs” Rallapalli
*You can’t see it in this pic, but I had an undercut with designs shaved in the back of my head…IN THE 80’S. #aheadofmytime #punintended
**David and I are experiencing this now. We’re letting our son grow out his hair in what I can only describe as a mullet. While it’s not my first choice, he loves it. And that’s good enough for me.
I just got back from a trip to Nepal with Mum. Was a “bucket list” trip for her and I was happy to join in the adventure. Kathmandu, Pokhara, and a few leisurely strolls along the Annapurna range in the Himalayas.
We were hosted by friend and collaborator, Mahabir Pun. He’s a social entrepreneur and the reason our family became connected with Nepal.* Our grant making foundation has been working with him and his home village off and on for many years. And finally Mum and I had the chance to travel to the village in person, meet the community, and see the school my parents helped build and other projects we support IRL.**
The unfamiliar mountain paths were steep, rocky, slippery. Even the trekking sticks Mum brought succumbed to the uneven terrain. But whenever she slipped, our friends in the village were there to pick her up. (And let’s be real: when I slipped, they picked me up, too!)
But the trip was a special one. The views of the Himalayas were truly breathtaking. And it was definitely worth the falls and scrapes we endured.***
Sometimes I’m on top of the world (Literally in this case. Figuratively most other times), thrilled to be doing the work I do. In a city I love. With colleagues and clients I respect, trust, and enjoy talking to every day.
But I confess I feel the pressure to say it’s going gangbusters. All. The. Flipping. Time.
The thing is, though, I’m not. I’m not killing it.
Sometimes I’m barely injuring it. At times, I’m chasing it, catching, and slapping it around a bit before it laughs at me and escapes. But when I have drinks or a meeting with someone, I confess there’s a pressure to be all:
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In reality, once in a while, there are days when I’m scared. Scared shitless that this isn’t going to work out. That the phone will stop ringing. My email will stop pinging. Or that I just can’t do this entrepreneurial thing after all.
Can I be totally real? Today feels like one of those days as I write this. In fact, I stopped and started writing this like 10 times in the past week second-guessing myself. I was thinking “should I even be writing this right now when I feel like this?! I don’t know if my people want to hear this stuff.”
But here is what I DO know, even when I’m feeling this way. It takes a village. Whether you’re raising a kid, hiking in the Himalayas, or growing your business….there’s no such thing as a solopreneur. I hate that word. Because it’s not true.
I have SO MANY people in my life who help me do this business thing and make it fun. My husband. Stephanie. Ali. Maud. Butler. Wayne. My son. My mom. Our friends near and far. Our general contractor. My clients, colleagues, and contacts who lift me up, open doors, and create opportunities for me to grab. You know who you are. And I thank you. I am grateful.
So I guess what I’m saying is - this feeling won’t last and thank you for accompanying me on this journey. I might slip and trip along the way, but I’m going to keep on.
So, do this. Think about the village that holds you up. Family, colleagues, friends, the grocer. Your mail carrier. The neighbor. Your parents. And thank them.
Because we’re all in this together. Even when we’re not killing it.
Thanks,
Emelia “I only drank a little bit of raksi” Rallapalli
PS: I learned more about the work Mahabir Pun is doing with his team at the National Innovation Center in Kathmandu, to help Nepal’s younger generation stay in the country, and bring their education, creativity, and talent back home to help their country grow economically and be self-sufficient. Currently, they’re working on initiatives like building drones for delivery of medicine to remote villages, incubators, and ginger drinks. Check out the Nepal Innovation Center here for more information and ways to support their work.
*Backstory: in 2001, My dad read a BBC article about Mahabir who was trying to bring wireless internet access to his village. Dad liked his idea and go-getter spirit, so he emailed him to start working together. So they did. That’s it. It’s easier to connect that we think, huh?
**Thanks to the introduction of helicopter service on the mountains!
*** I brought a first aid kit – so all good. If you want my first aid pack list, let me know!
Confession: my closet is a little crammed.
(Ok. That’s a lie.)
To be accurate, my closet is overflowing. Like, bring-a-headlamp-compass-and-machete-if-I-don’t-come-back-in-an-hour level of overflowing.
Clearly, I have an issue with editing my closet. It’s much easier for me to add things than take them away.
I LOVE shoes. And dresses. And suits. And purses. And scarfs. And earrings. And jackets. And definitely athleisurewear*. I can tell you how I acquired each item. Where I bought it. Its back story. And what makes it special.
But let's be real, there’s too much there. Even if I know it’ll never fit again. Or be useful again. Even if it’s a tad worn out like that Gap hoodie shirt from the ’80s that still has life in it. (No, you shut up. It’s awesome. Amiright, Duckie?)
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Before you ask...Yes, I’ve read Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui. (Twice.) And Marie Kondo’s The Joy of Tiding Up. I’ve even watched her Netflix show. (And bonus points if you also remember BBC’s Life Laundry.)
It’s some kind of mental block, I’m sure.
But it’s also a physical block. I can’t get to the good stuff… because it’s trapped behind the nice-to-keep-but-don’t-need stuff. If I did do a serious closet clearing, then I’d have a much better, more functional wardrobe that works for who I am today.
Which is not unlike the issue some of us have with editing our presentations or reports.
As an advisor to marketers, I’ve come to realize that editing is one of THE most important things I do — whether that’s in writing research reports, strategy documents, creative briefs**, and even my fledgling email missives. I believe the key to a good idea is the editing: knowing what to cut, and knowing what to keep.
Sometimes we fall in love with what we heard in research. And we want a reportage of every nuance and detail. Because, because….data!!
But this is counterproductive. Why? Because:
Most of the ‘raw material’ we hear in research is not worth reporting.***
When we avoid the act of ruthless editing it belies a darker truth: that we can’t make up our mind about what matters.
Most times when asked how to make something better, we add. But that’s easy because it allows us to avoid making choices, making decisions about what is truly important, what’s relevant…and what is not.
Working in the creative industries challenged my way of thinking, and for the better. It taught me to ask myself, “what can we take away” and “can it better”? A single, simple, compelling idea is much more powerful than a complex one.
Editing is harder than adding because it’s ultimately about choice-making. And it takes continual practice. I’m still working on it.
So, let’s take a page from our friend Marie…do this: Konmari your next creative strategy, marketing presentation, or report of findings.
Instead of asking if it brings you joy, ask if it serves the goal of getting to the best solution or POV. If not, then keep going. Continue to refine and edit until you have exactly what you need, and nothing more.
Hopefully, it will be easier for you to edit your presentation than it is for me to Konmari my closet.
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Thanks,
Emelia “does it spark joy” Rallapalli
PS: If you were a Pretty In Pink fan like me, you might enjoy this critique of Duckie’s character from a few years back.
*Home office FTW!
**Creative briefs are called “briefs” for a reason. They are supposed to be short.
***Do not get me wrong. I respect my clients’ audiences immensely. But if I’m honest, the ultimate value to my clients is the synthesis of the insights, not the data by itself.