If I leave you with anything as I close out this first attempt at bringing this ambitious idea to life, it’s a request that you ask yourself, “If I forget how things are done, what could I do with the skills and resources I have?”

I finally made the switch from having conversations to see if this idea to create more social impact with marketing could work to using those conversations to inform how it will work. Starting with the issue of reducing poverty in Rochester, NY.

People are waiting for the brands we buy from to become our do-gooding flag to fly. But the reality is, people are waiting for people to take those first steps.

This idea is not about creating a new movement to compete with all the other great efforts out there. It’s spurring more movement to support them.

Nearly two years ago I wrote about The Power and Responsibility of our marketing industry. But I’m correcting myself… This is the big opportunity for the individuals within the marketing industry–to unite forces and affect mindsets about social issues at scale.

We can let our disparate well-intentioned “drop of water” efforts create small ripples and currents, or we can create the force of an ocean. You are powerful. What are you going to do about it?

If everyone who felt fear at the risk of potentially “getting it wrong” refrained from participating, we’d never get the volume of participation we need to create the intended cacophony of noise for the greater good.

Al Gore wheeling his slide show around city to city, “communicating real clearly” is a shining example of how NOT to engage the masses of passive population in a pressing ESG issue. Al does a great job of highlighting how the marketing platform and smart advertising ideas could change the game of spreading information on social impact issues that need our collective attention and alignment.

I’ve heard multiple times in only the early conversations around this idea that this model will be tough for both agencies and brands to embrace because it’s just not how things are typically done. So what if we think of another way? What if we take the use of the massive marketing platform and consider how dollars from other disciplines might fund it?

The idea for More Movement with Marketing was born in a storm of frustration with many fronts… The power of marketing to influence human behavior, the desperate need for society to make moves on social issues, and the challenge of changing mindsets and behaviors willfully.

Does the More Movement with Marketing model require tipping the scales away from self-interest to do the greatest amount of good? Or can we find a way for the gain to be equal on all ends.

I believe there are forces at play in the marketing industry that when unified in focus and direction, could create big impact for the greater good of the world. This is the launch of an open discovery process to see if this type of idea is something the marketing industry can stand behind and make a reality. With butterflies in my stomach and potential hurricanes in my path, I’m making moves for More Movement with Marketing