He Said, She Said: Sparking Joy

Over the holiday break Netflix introduced a new series which quickly took the world by storm, Tidying Up. The concept of tidying isn’t new – there’s been loads of hoarder themed programmes over the years – however, adding a twist of psycho-babble fronted by a tiny, Japanese lady has proved very popular, including the idea of Spark Joy.

He said

So Spark Joy could be easily dismissed as yet more nonsense inflicted upon the world by the get well brigade. However, it makes more sense when you remove its connection to your personal life and add it to your business. Specifically where we are concerned, communications.

Does the piece of communication you send to your customers, be it an advert, email, or social media post, add anything joyful, interesting, or creative to their lives? If not, then why would you expect them to be interested in what you’ve sent them? Creatively presented communications will always have more cut-through and impact with your customers. Does it ‘Spark Joy’?

She said

We’re all pretty familiar with B2C businesses trying to spark joy in their customers. Diet Coke with their ladies ogling the window cleaner, Peperami with their angry sausage, Cadbury’s driving luggage trolleys around an airport to Don’t Stop Me Now. I bet at least one of them has bought a smile to your face.

It’s B2B businesses that often leave the joy at the door and get sucked into the idea that all communications should be deadly serious and stiflingly business-like. The problem is that the people in the businesses you are selling to are, well, people. They have lives outside the office and feel a whole range of normal human emotions. They aren’t robots tied to spreadsheets. If you can’t spark joy, or hope, or pride, or amusement (insert positive emotion here) then why would these people have the slightest interest in your product or service.

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