Marketing Vulnerability

Posted on June 23, 2019 by Lauren Bouthillier

While on travel for work last week, I finally got around to watching Brené Brown’s The Call to Courage on Netflix. While I respect and enjoy her work and the way she influences personal growth among many, I couldn’t help but think about vulnerability in marketing – whether that be in social media, a brand’s “about us”, or a new advertising campaign.

There are many examples that showcase how vulnerability in marketing is effective. Most obvious, Brené Brown herself. The act of being vulnerable about her vulnerabilities has been the foundation for her entire brand.

This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxHouston

You don’t have to scroll through social media for long before you will come across a profile that is exuding anything short of vulnerability.

Apparently, vulnerability seems to be a hot topic among the workplace, social media, and marketing. However, I can’t help but notice the irony in vulnerability. The online community girlboss, writes of exactly that.

When people or brands put an extreme amount of effort into trying to be vulnerable, do they overlook the authenticity of being vulnerable all together? Are they approaching the concept of vulnerability and shaping their message in terms of thinking about what would come across as vulnerable to consumers, as compared to being in and feeling the rawness of vulnerability?

References

Brown, B. (2010, June). The power of vulnerability. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability#t-67088

Brown, B. (2019). Brené Brown: the call to courage. Retrieved from https://www.netflix.com/title/81010166

Katie [@ktlosing100]. (2018, March 2). Posting this for my own dose of perspective [Instagram photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.instagram.com/p/Bf1AXwEgGNq/

Postpartum Mothershape [@postpartum]. (2019, June 13). Introducing: #HerBodyCan [Instagram photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.instagram.com/p/ByqfBhAg3lx/


Warnke, M. (2018). Since when is vulnerability an acceptable marketing tool?. Retrieved from https://www.girlboss.com/life/vulnerability-marketing-instagram

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