Waistcoat industry saviour and shoe in future ‘Sir’ Gareth Southgate penned a ‘Dear England’ Euros letter this week to his team, the nation and, inadvertently I think, to anyone in marketing and business who looks to take learnings from sometimes unexpected sources in life.
Leadership, values, communication, and the importance of reading the room all come through against the easy to imagine soundtrack of Baddiel, Skinner and the Lightning Seeds’ rousing anthem of hope.
The England team is a brand. Southgate knows that. And he knows how brands, their members and the responsibilities shown or not shown make people think, act and share.
And although we can’t all be football teams, we know our brands have fans, followers and champions behind them that need feeding, growing and encouraging.
As the manager says within his piece, “What I want to speak about today is much bigger than football”.
And four interlinked threads captured my thoughts for any business looking to its audiences:
“Recognise the impact we have on society”
“Do what’s right for mental health and keep being a force for good”
“It’s about how we bring people together, how we inspire and unite, how we create memories that last...”
“Use the power of voices to help put debates on the table, raise awareness and educate.”
Landing I think (apologies for any obviousness) the pillars of:
· Social responsibility and always on brand self-awareness
· Staff and leadership relationships and understanding of new eras
· Quality over quantity storytelling that cuts through rather than just creates noise
· The power of brand voices to inspire and open minds on important topics with education and entertainment
Despite being wrapped up in the excitement of the Euros, it’s a timely challenge to any business of goals that might be stuck or maybe missing a healthy dose of relevance.
It's the three lions on your shirt challenge around pride.
And a quest for emotional storytelling, purpose on the pitch, and season ticket support in return.
Coaching, physio, and transfer strategies on all of this are available on request...