At this year’s Cannes Lions Festival, three very different people explored the theme of “Truth or Dare?” in an inspiring SMG/TED conversation. People who have pursued their own truths and reshaped their beliefs. People who have dared to challenge convention, pursue bold dreams and break boundaries to make a difference in our world.
Much has been written about Maria Bello, talented US actress and writer, particularly about her relationships and sexuality. Bello has grown a bold habit of questioning ‘labels’ imposed on us by society; and she believes human ‘labels’ force us to be untruthful about ourselves, and restrict our ability to love ourselves freely so that we can love others around us.
Her message is simple: ‘labels’ should empower, not limit us. Find your truth and don’t let society’s labels define you and your success. We shouldn’t let our brand purpose and success be limited by category ‘labels’ and societal conventions. What else can our brand be? How can it break accepted norms and boundaries to be more honest and, as a result, more loved by more people?
Rives, a performance artist and storyteller who’s been called “the first 2.0 poet” – and aptly so – is an innovator with words, a charismatic poet who tells personal stories in surprising and compelling ways. At the Cannes main stage, he shared an ‘act of daring’ from his teen years that he’d never shared before; one that profoundly impacted the direction of his life and that he still thinks about daily.
He reminds us that ‘acts of daring’ can change the course of lives. Brands and marketers are no exception to this adage. How can they be more disruptive to achieve their goals and inject more meaning and success into their ethos? Rives is a timely reminder that in this world of big data, there is still great truth and insight in personal stories. Stories, told with warmth and conviction, are still the most powerful way to entertain and motivate audiences and consumers.
Diana Nyad is a legendary long distance swimmer and broadcaster. The story of her lifelong dream to be the first human to swim 110 miles from Florida to Cuba brought the Cannes audience to its feet; after four failed attempts, and at the age of 60, she achieved what all the experts said was not humanly possible. She reminds us there is no greater power on earth than the human spirit. The path to success is paved with dreams and failures.
She implored us not to let our lives slip quietly away. What is our dream? And what is our dream for our brands? Would any consumer really care if they didn’t exist anymore?
What are we and our brands truly capable of, and are we brave enough to embrace that, even if it means repeated public failure until we find success?