Kony 2012 – A lesson for all of us.

Interesting, a friendship that started more than 10 years ago during a visiting Uganda becomes a global phenomenon.

This story has led me to think about the Social Era and its impact.  Today, we have the power to influence change that only 5 years ago was not possible.  The Social Era has propelled us into a state of perpetual awareness that brings us pause, has us questioning ourselves and others and subsequently leads us to action.

The Social Era has led us to this point of conscientiousness.  This knowledge brings us the passion to act and this action leads to power.  Rightfully, the Social Era is slowly bringing power back to those that want to influence change for what is wrong and right not simply because it’s ‘in our best interest’.

Social Media has provided the people a voice.   Whether it goes so far as to share and speak out on the injustices of our world or change the very fabric in which brands connect with their consumers.  The Social Era is all about empowerment – empowerment for the people to decide on how and what to tune-in or out and digest only what drives and impassions us.

Marketers get wrapped up in how brands can leverage social media and yet I would argue there is little that they can to control the medium to their benefit (it’s to the mutual benefit of both brand and consumer – and consumer the consumer wins).  This is a medium of the people and for the people; one in which we control the frequency and the content no matter how agressive marketers and the media get – we can simply decide to tune them out or embrace them.  It’s up to us to decide.

KONY 2012 is a campaign that began as a plea that fell on the deaf ears of Washington and later was able to mobilizing the masses – all thanks to social media.  Within weeks the people made it clear that inaction would not be tolerated and the need for justice is immanent.  This campaign should be seen as a brilliant example of how the Social Era can mobilize an entire world to take action.

It takes but just a spark to ignite a flame.

Kony2012