Give us a smile

No, really. It could be good for your brand internally and externally.

An Ipsos survey of over 22,000 people worldwide saw happiness in the UK fall 13 percentage points this year.

No communicator – whether PR or employee comms – needs the challenges of this environment explained to them.

Squeezed budgets, difficult organisation-wide conversations about pay and audiences apathetic to cost of living messages are a reality.

And will be for some time.

While a brand’s purpose will always be relevant – and more than ever, articulating the societal impact of this can’t be understated – we don’t always have to be purpose-led.

In fact, there’s an opportunity to make your audience sit up and take notice by simply spreading joy.

Both big and small(er) names are embracing fun – and standing out all the more for it.

Gym Group aren’t selling the benefits of exercise to your mental health. They’re asking you to show your gym face (everyone has one, apparently).

Yorkshire Tea are going to Ibiza.

Heinz are trying to change the world, one hot dog bun at a time. (If you’ve ever been frustrated by hot dogs and buns not coming in packs of the same size, you’ll be relieved that there’s now a petition to fix that.)

Fun and frivolity can cause understandable nervousness.

Nobody wants to make light of a difficult time or spend wildly while the business is being asked to cut back.

But even on a small budget, a moment of joy – a quirky competition on socials, a surprise pop-up in an office, or a meme on Workplace that nods to a shared frustration – shows empathy and confidence.