TCO Lab The Future of Community Report Launch Event

This week at Ennismore Sessions House TCO Lab launched our Future of Community report with a fantastic panel that included Rhodri Evans, Brand Content Director at Levi Strauss & Co, Philippa Wagner, Head of Insights and Innovation at 23Lab Ennismore, Poonam Dhuffer, Founder at YSM8 and Tara Scott Head of Community at Moody Month.

Last year our Future of Brand Activism series created important and challenging conversations around brand responsibility with marketers and brand leaders in London, New York, Amsterdam, and Cannes Lions.

For 2020 we wanted to move the topic on and explore something that is very close to our hearts, and that Huck has championed for the past 15 years - the power and importance of community.

This is not a new topic but it is a vital and increasing need in our current landscape. The need for connection, to come together with people and to feel part of something bigger than yourself. The report focused on the idea that for brands to offer something people want to interact with they must fundamentally understand what community will look like and what role they can play in it. For example:

The importance of being authentic, honest and transparent about your motives or intentions for working with communities – especially pre existing communities. Taking time to really listen to your community and treating them with care and respect to understand what good, services or opportunities will genuinely benefit them. Partnering for the long term – longevity is key to create a legacy for your community or something that goes beyond a brand’s seasonal marketing agenda or one-time activation; and the importance of the lived experience to be able to speak to or be part of a community – whether that’s via representation in your organisation/workforce, or seeking external expert knowledge.

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Here are some takeouts from the panel, which was hosted by Huck’s editorial director, Andrea Kurland.

“It’s really important for brands to be authentic and transparent about their motives or intentions for working with communities – especially pre-existing communities.” — Tara Scott, Head of Community at Moody Month

“Be brave with your brand behaviour but generous as well. Give people your platform to empower their community to do more.” — Rhodri Evans, Brand Content Director at Levi Strauss & Co

"[As a brand] ask the right questions. And if you don’t know the right questions, bring in people who live that [community] experience day-in, day-out – bring them in as experts to help you pull apart your proposition." — Poonam Dhuffer, Founder of YSM8

“A big theme that came across in the session was the idea that culture and relationships are built on reciprocity, which is why brands simply giving “stuff” is not a helpful act”— Andrea Kurland, Editorial Director, huck magazine