Follow the Feeling is a brand-building podcast produced by Kai D. Wright, Columbia University lecturer and author of Follow the Feeling: Brand Building in a Noisy World. A companion to the award-winning book, the podcast offers expert guidance and proven methods to help individuals build emotionally resonant, community-powered brands. Each episode breaks down the five brand-building moments that matter most—Lexicon, Audio, Visuals, Experience, and Culture—while providing actionable strategies and inspiration to grow with clarity and purpose.
Daily Dose (Bonus) | 3 Steps to Navigate Culture Ethically | Grow Brand Value with Earnestness, Empowerment, and Empathy | Subscriber-only
•Brand Builder Lab•Season 1•Episode 10
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In this episode, we explore Kai D. Wright's "culture-ethics pressure test" for communications, campaigns, and content. The three-part framework helps brands connect with communities authentically and ethically. This powerful approach gives marketers a way to check if their community engagement efforts are genuine, impactful, and culturally resonant.
Take some time today and think about how these principles apply to what you're doing right now. What's one small step you can take to be more earnest, more empowering, and more empathetic?
Whether you’re building a startup or refreshing your brand, this is your blueprint for turning an audience into a tribe.
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Produced by Kai D. Wright. Follow Kai on LinkedIn.
Buy the companion book, "Follow the Feeling: Brand Building in a Noisy World" on Amazon.
Hey everyone, welcome back to Brand Builder Lab. We've got a really cool framework for you all today. It's all about making sure your brand is connecting with communities in a real and ethical way you know, yeah, it's like a checkup for your brand's relationships to help them.
Speaker 2:
you know, really last.
Speaker 1:
Exactly we're diving into this culture ethics pressure test. It comes from Kai D Wright, the author of Follow the Feeling Brand Building in a Noisy World.
Speaker 2:
He's also the producer of, you know, this very show, Brand Builder Lab.
Speaker 1:
That's right, and he talks about these three key areas you really need to consider as you're building your brand and trying to connect with different communities.
Speaker 2:
Especially these days, you know.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, no kidding, it feels like every time you turn on the news there's another brand trying to figure out this whole cultural landscape thing.
Speaker 2:
Right and all the questions about authenticity and the impact brands are having on the world.
Speaker 1:
It really highlighted how crucial it is to get this right.
Speaker 2:
And Wright's framework gives you a way to approach this in a tangible way.
Speaker 1:
Absolutely so. The first thing he talks about is earnestness.
Speaker 2:
Okay so earnestness. Tangible way, Absolutely so the first thing he talks about is earnestness. Okay so earnestness. What we're really talking about? Here is showing a genuine commitment to a community. Okay, a real commitment and not just like a one-time thing. It has to be ongoing.
Speaker 1:
Gotcha. So how do brands actually do that?
Speaker 2:
Well Wright wants you to ask yourself you know, if you're building a brand, how are you showing that you're in it for the long haul with the communities you're trying to reach?
Speaker 1:
It's about showing up consistently.
Speaker 2:
Exactly, and what does that consistent effort actually look like to them? What signals sincerity?
Speaker 1:
It's so much more than just doing a quick campaign and then disappearing.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, for sure. And you know what's really interesting? Wright actually pushes you to look at your creative work.
Speaker 1:
Oh, okay, like what.
Speaker 2:
Like your campaigns, yeah, your ads, your core messages even. I see, and he wants you to ask does this actually align with how the community understands sincerity? And, even more importantly, he asks how can we make this resonate even more?
Speaker 1:
Because people can totally tell when something feels fake.
Speaker 2:
Right, oh yeah, Consumers these days they're so attuned to that Building trust really starts with that consistent, genuine effort, absolutely.
Speaker 1:
That leads us to the second part of Wright's test, empowerment, and it sounds like this goes beyond just having good intentions right, right.
Speaker 2:
It's about going further, actually creating positive change within a community.
Speaker 1:
Yeah.
Speaker 2:
Not just talking about it.
Speaker 1:
So what kind of questions should brands be asking themselves when they're thinking about empowerment?
Speaker 2:
Right Talks about getting down to like the ground level.
Speaker 1:
OK.
Speaker 2:
Really understanding the day to day challenges a community is facing. What does the good life even look like to them? And then how can your brand help make that more attainable?
Speaker 1:
You know, practically speaking, Right, make a real difference.
Speaker 2:
Exactly, and there's this really great point he makes about where brands can find these insights.
Speaker 1:
And listening.
Speaker 2:
Internal employee resource groups.
Speaker 1:
Sure.
Speaker 2:
He argues. They're often like this, untapped goldmine of perspective because they represent the communities they're a part of.
Speaker 1:
That makes sense.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, and he also talks about involving community leaders in the creative process like early on, interesting Not just as a like a rubber stamp at the end, but as actual collaborators.
Speaker 1:
Yeah.
Speaker 2:
You know, when the ideas are still forming.
Speaker 1:
I see so like if a brand is developing a campaign for a particular cultural group, bringing in leaders from that community right from the start.
Speaker 2:
Exactly that way you can ensure the message not only lands well, but is actually empowering.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, that feels like a huge shift. It's not about just trying to reach an audience, it's about working with them to create something that actually benefits them.
Speaker 2:
Definitely, it's about creating value and impact that lasts, and that's something we see consumers looking for more and more.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, people want to support brands that are doing good in the world.
Speaker 2:
For sure. Okay, so we've talked about earnestness, we've talked about empowerment, and now we get to the third part of Wright's culture ethics test Empathy.
Speaker 1:
This one feels really important.
Speaker 2:
Oh, it's crucial. Empathy is about going beyond, just like a surface level understanding. You need to really grasp how a community sees the world and then tailor your approach accordingly.
Speaker 1:
It's a word you hear a lot these days, but how does Wright suggest brands actually put empathy into action?
Speaker 2:
He asked some really thought-provoking questions, Like how does this community perceive the world around them? Who are the voices they trust? Where do they go to get information?
Speaker 1:
Those are good questions.
Speaker 2:
Right, and the big thing he emphasizes is immersing yourself in the culture of your consumer.
Speaker 1:
What does that mean? Exactly?
Speaker 2:
Understanding their food, their music, their art, their fashion, all those cultural touchstones that shape how they see the world.
Speaker 1:
So it's more than just like looking at data.
Speaker 2:
Way more. He argues that this genuine immersion is far more valuable than, say, just doing focus groups.
Speaker 1:
So like if you're a global food brand and you're trying to introduce a new product to a new region.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, instead of just doing surveys, you actually spend time in local markets. You understand their culinary traditions, you talk to home cooks. Makes sense, that kind of thing gives you much richer insights, and then you can create a product and a campaign that's culturally resonant.
Speaker 1:
It's like the difference between looking at a map and actually walking the streets.
Speaker 2:
Exactly, it's about seeing things from someone else's perspective, really trying to understand their experience.
Speaker 1:
And when you understand a community's worldview that deeply, then your marketing is going to be more effective and more ethical too.
Speaker 2:
Absolutely. You're much less likely to make mistakes or create messaging that misses the mark.
Speaker 1:
Yeah.
Speaker 2:
Because you understand what really matters to them.
Speaker 1:
It's like you said you're creating genuine connections.
Speaker 2:
And when you have that level of understanding, you naturally start aligning with bigger ethical considerations.
Speaker 1:
How so.
Speaker 2:
Well, you're more likely to be truthful in your messaging, authentic in your actions, respectful in your approach, equitable in your offerings.
Speaker 1:
You're becoming a more socially responsible brand overall.
Speaker 2:
Right. So as you're building your brand today, I really encourage you to take a moment and think about Kai Wright's culture ethics test.
Speaker 1:
So we're asking ourselves are we being earnest, are we empowering the communities we want to connect with, and are we showing true empathy by really understanding their world?
Speaker 2:
Using those three lenses to look at your efforts, it can really change things. You can build a brand that not only stands out but stands for something meaningful.
Speaker 1:
It's about making that shift from selling to connecting.
Speaker 2:
Exactly.
Speaker 1:
We'd love for you to take some time today and think about how these principles apply to what you're doing right now.
Speaker 2:
What's one small step you can take today to be more earnest, more empowering, more empathetic?
Speaker 1:
Those small changes can make a big difference. A real impact. Thanks for being with us on Brand Builder Lab today.
