Are we embracing technology at the expense of humanity?

Written by
Marc Ha
Promotion for the upcoming Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix is ramping up again, and it’s reminded me of something magical that happened at The Killers concert that took place at the side lines of last year’s race.

In that instant when the band began playing their hit song “Human”, an unspoken and reassuring connection formed among the thousand strong audience of strangers. Eyes met, glances exchanged, and a spirit of shared camaraderie cut through the humid night.

Despite all the advances in technology and the promise of delivering stronger UX and CX, nothing quite replaces the magic of human connections. Worryingly, amidst the growing infatuation for automation, chatbots, AR/VR, AI and a long list of other jargon, we are in danger of embracing technology at the expense of humanity.

According to a Future of Customer Experience survey by PwC in 2018, 64% of global respondents felt companies have lost touch with the human experience. Interestingly, 75% of respondents in that same survey desired more human interaction in the future.

In this Fourth Industrial Age where technology is driving transformative change, people want balance. Despite the growing understanding of how technology and AI can augment human capabilities, people ultimately want MORE, not less, interactions with other human beings.

Think Human – an ethos for a technology-driven future

More than ever before, marketing and communications professionals play an intrinsic role in guiding how organisations interact with the stakeholders we serve and the society in which we operate.

While the notion of human-centred thinking isn’t new, my esteemed colleagues at Archetype have created an ethos and framework called Think Human – a call-to-action for organisations, brands and individual leaders alike to re-balance the dynamic between technology and humanity.

Think Human isn’t about corporate social responsibility. It’s about how organisations can build more empathy, authenticity and deeply human thinking back into how we communicate and interact.

At the heart of Think Human is the acknowledgement that we need to fulfill basic human needs, wants and values. Which is also why authentic, purpose-driven marketing is so important today.

So what can brands do to translate the Think Human mindset into practical action?

The answer lies in remembering that it is not only about thinking human in our corporate ethos and strategy, it is also about acting human (from the CEO through to the customer service rep), speaking human in our language and tone of voice (contrast KFC’s honest and humble response versus United Airlines’ initial tone-deaf response to issues they faced), and looking human, not just in our brand but in our entire approach to visual storytelling. Importantly, it’s about all elements coming together to establish congruence internally and externally.

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There are a few simple steps we can take to ensure we are thinking human in every facet of our marketing communications:

  1. Diagnose the Think Human “health” of the brand.
  2. Stress test current approaches against ‘Think, Act, Speak & Look Human’ criteria. Response to crisis scenarios are a good litmus test.
  3. Articulate the risks and opportunities to the business, based on its Think Human status.
  4. Develop an improvement strategy, delivery plans and measurement approach.

Today, we inhabit a world disrupted for better or worse on a daily basis by digital, social and mobile technologies. As we work out how to to capitalise on those opportunities – but also shoulder the responsibilities that go with them – the sustainable brands will be those who place human needs, wants and values at the heart of their approach.

Written by
Marc Ha