Me, You, Us: Social Reconnection as a “New” Format for the Market

Originally published on January 23, 2019

Much has been said about the future. Since the beginning of time, humans have tried, in some way, to predict what lies ahead — whether through utopian, almost fictional visions, or through studies rooted in behavioral analysis. And there’s no denying that, in 2019, we feel a certain sense of apprehension: society seems to be heading toward unclear directions due to the depletion of natural resources, the (re)emergence of leaders who wave the flag of fascism and radicalism, prejudice, and many other behaviors that don’t bode well for community life.

“But sometimes bad things happen for a good reason,” says a Brazilian saying.[2] In the face of so many social catastrophes, a part of society has begun adopting behaviors we’ll refer to here as “reconnections.” You’ll see this word often in this text, which aims to explore future market possibilities based on recovery-oriented conduct — whether in the creation of new dialogues between men and women (as seen with feminism), between individuals and communities, or even between communities themselves.

What we’ve been witnessing — and feeling — is the urgency of social reconnections, so we can rebuild a world that, in many regions, still only seems to exist in the realm of imagination. This text highlights the paths already being carved out, across various sectors, to bring back this sense of community and rebuild human bonds.

From “Me” to “Us”

The starting point of this discussion is understanding what we mean by reconnection: when we stop to examine society today, we notice a growing urgency in the discourse around reconnecting individuals. The way we relate to others and to our surroundings (cities, workplaces, schools, etc.) has reached a chaotic level of disconnection: we’ve chosen to live in the “Age of Me” and, in doing so, have neglected the foundations of humanitarian and communal relationships.

Nowadays, we see the rise of many groups asserting their identities in society in search of greater recognition and inclusion. A prime example is feminism, which continues to raise awareness about daily struggles experienced by countless women — struggles that remain invisible to much of society due to structural sexism. In Brazil, writer Djamila Ribeiro[3], author of the book Lugar de Fala[4] (Place of Speech), effectively explores this issue. Understanding the idea of "place of speech" helps us better understand others. And that’s where reconnection begins: by recognizing different social existences, we reach a new — and better — level of debate around connection and lived experience in society.

This spread of pro-humanitarian content is highly important. Topics like sexism, feminism, homophobia, racism, and religious prejudice are part of many people’s daily realities. By addressing them, we’re able to reshape thinking and reconsider behaviors.

There’s also no denying that these reconnection movements are happening more rapidly thanks to the internet and social media. The Information Age connects not only people but also interests, making it easier to exchange ideas and information across many areas of debate. For instance, take the Facebook page “Women Against Bolsonaro”[5], created during Brazil’s 2018 presidential campaign. At that time, thousands of women came together to oppose the candidate — now president — who repeatedly used sexist and misogynistic rhetoric. That moment also saw the rise of the hashtag #EleNão (“Not Him”), which spread across the internet and reached Twitter’s trending topics[6].

This sense of collectivity is also tied to cooperation. One example is the growing trend of cooperative supermarkets[7]. These non-profit businesses aim, among other things, to ensure that their customers are also co-owners — actively participating in daily operations, sourcing new suppliers, and negotiating prices below market rate.

In Brazil, the Landless Workers’ Movement (MTST - Movimento dos Trabalhadores Sem Terra) is another notable case of cooperation. As far back as 2001, the movement already had 81 cooperatives and 45 agro-industrial units — which have helped lower infant mortality rates and eliminate hunger for the underserved families within the group[8]. When it comes to food quality, the MST became, in 2017, Latin America’s largest producer of organic rice[9].

Regarding housing, mutirão projects — collective efforts where families plan and build their own homes — are another example. In these cooperatives[10], families are involved from design through completion, lowering construction costs and fostering community.

The Market Beyond Numbers: Advertising as a Reconnection Agent

Marketing 1.0, 2.0, 3.0… we’ve now reached 5.0. But beyond these numbers, there are new directions marketing can take. Think of it as Marketing X — a marketing that aims to transform society through its actions. These are strategies and campaigns focused not just on selling products or promoting brands, but on sparking conversation and addressing taboos.

A great (and recent) example is the Gillette ad released in January 2019[11]. The campaign, Is this the best a man can get?, tackles the issue of toxic masculinity — a structural form of sexism present in many aspects of our lives. The brand’s message is bold and opens up dialogue around what it means to “be a man” in today’s world. It raises many questions, and a more intellectually aware consumer can pick up on its deeper message.

In the marketing world, we’re also seeing a social shift, where consumers take on a more active role in shaping brand identity. Part of this comes through advertising aimed at groups that were once overlooked — or outright marginalized. In a recent paper for a Consumer Behavior course, we analyzed consumption and Black representation in Brazil. In a country where 53.6%[12] of the population is Black or mixed-race, according to IBGE[13] (2014), media representation for this group is heavily tied to consumption, which gives rise to the concept of Afroconsumption:

“(...) Black consumers tend to look to brands and companies for identification. The term Afroconsumption emerged in 2016, when the Think Etnus Institute conducted and published a study on the subject. For the institute, Afroconsumption is a counterculture movement — breaking away from a ‘white’ market and creating new possibilities for a Black audience hungry for representation, with more product and service options, whether specialized or not.”
(SOUZA, 2018)[14]

In 2018, the brand O Boticário released a Father’s Day campaign in Brazil featuring a Black family as the protagonists. It was a simple family scene — parents and children together — but the impact of representation resonated with thousands of Brazilian families who finally saw themselves reflected.

More recently, many brands took a stand against a statement made by Brazil’s new Minister of Family Affairs, Damares Alves. In a video, Alves said the country was entering a new era where “boys wear blue, girls wear pink.” This clearly touched on the global debate around gender identity. Brands like Trident quickly responded[15], satirizing the statement with visuals and captions that supported freedom and inclusivity.

In short: advertising and marketing are evolving into unifying agents, giving voice to groups fighting for visibility and fairness. In the future, we’ll see even more brands taking a stance — and they’ll have to decide whether their message stays empty or leans toward a more human, empathetic direction.

References:

[1] Master’s student in Marketing at Escola Superior de Tecnologia e Gestão de Viseu, 2019.
[2] In Portugal, the expression is “Há males que vêm por bem.”
[3] Brazilian philosopher and researcher in Political Philosophy at the Federal University of São Paulo.
[4] Book released in 2017 by Letramento Publishing.
[5] As seen in: https://rr.sapo.pt/noticia/126008/elenao-milhares-de-mulheres-contra-bolsonaro-por-todo-o-brasil
[6] Reported at: https://www.revistaforum.com.br/elenao-campanha-contra-bolsonaro-e-um-dos-assuntos-mais-comentados-do-mundo/
[7] Also known as Food Coops. See more at: http://opcions.org/es/consumo/supermercados-cooperativos-efervescencia/
[8] Source: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0103-40142001000300016
[9] Report published at: https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/brasil-39775504
[10] Source: http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/47/47134/tde-21012009-115346/pt-br.php
[11] See: https://observador.pt/2019/01/15/este-e-o-melhor-homem-que-consegue-ser-novo-anuncio-da-gillette-arrasado-nas-redes-sociais/
[12] Total includes Black and mixed-race people, as highlighted by the research institution.
[13] Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics.
[14] In Consumption and Black Representation in Brazil, Rinaldo de Souza, 2018.
[15] As seen at: https://inteligenciademercado.blogfolha.uol.com.br/2019/01/04/trident-se-manifesta-sobre-menino-veste-azul-e-menina-veste-rosa-de-damares/