It's been hot minute or two since I spoke at Alt Summit (3/5/20 to be exact) about Creating Digital Empathy in a Frye Festival World. And - yes - it has taken me this long to share that talk. When I first received the videos from Alahna of Lark Media, we were in the early stages of the pandemic and shelter in place orders - and like so many others, it was about dealing with the day-to-day. It didn't feel like the right time to share it.

And as 2020 unfolded, alongside the pandemic, we've witnessed the BLM protests turn into a massive movement; wildfires engulfed Oregon and the West Coast; meanwhile dealing with a constant downpour of news about the state of our elections and our nation's politics; and wrapped into it all, I was trying to figure out how to help my clients save their business while trying to save my own, ended a long-term relationship, and mourned my Grandma's death.

None of this made me feel like it was a good time - the right time - to share a talk about Digital Empathy. Throughout 2020, I've never felt so vulnerable, challenged, defeated, and isolated on so many levels.

Yet maybe, as I look back, it was the perfect time all along. Maybe 2020 was - and since then - the perfect time to talk about Digital Empathy.

Which brings me to Halt & Catch Fire; a friend recommended it and I, of course, binged it. If you haven't seen it, add it to your Netflix queue, prep a few food deliveries to arrive over the next few days for nourishment, and start it. I won't spoil what happens; but this powerful monologue soundly hits on what we're facing today (if the video isn't showing up or you want the video transcript, tap this link):

Why Digital Empathy Matters

Our audiences - our communities - are made up of real people, not likes or follower counts, who are feeling more and more vulnerable and challenged both online and in real life. And let's not forget many are still literally and figuratively feeling overwhelmed thanks to 2020’s multi-pronged impacts.

This is why Digital Empathy is now a necessity for brands. It’s no longer a lofty goal. If we fast forward from my talk on March 5 to today, it's never been clearer how much brands desperately need to make Digital Empathy the center-point of their strategies, especially as we're squarely in the Conscious Consumer Era and rethinking how to best approach our audiences.

While there are numerous, present-day examples, the use of Fyre Festival still holds as a simple, clear case study based on why brands need to create digital spaces that connect with purpose and speak up while asking tough questions, all while rising above the noise and turning followers into their community and brand ambassadors. 

Watch my talk 'How to Create Digital Empathy in a Fyre Festival World' to learn how 3 very different brands applied those elements to further their message and grow their communities; and how you can infuse the same principles into your own brand.

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