What we learned at our APAC Brave Together Conference

For our APAC Brave Together Conference, members and senior leaders in our wider community hailing from Hong Kong, Singapore and India came together for the first time.

It was a day of learning, a day of listening; three hours away from bustling, busy schedules to be inspired and focus on what truly matters. Here are some of the best bits:
 

1. What’s good for society is also good for business. Breaking stereotypes and traditional conventions will lead to brands that are more 'talkable', more 'engageable' and more successful. Unilever's Aline Santos revealed that the company found that their progressive advertising produced 37% more brand impact and 28% more purchasing tension.

2. Today, 80% of people want brands to solve society's problems. Consumers have been holding brands accountable for a long time, but now there is more pressure than ever before and a new, big opportunity to work together with consumers that brands must seize with both hands.

3. Not being brave today—not taking risks—IS the biggest risk. If we want to be successful, we need to move at the speed of culture. It's not only about talking; it's about doing something and fast.

4. If you get to know people as people, you can understand their individual needs and make a positive impact on their lives and in society. We heard the moving story of Jeff Rotmeyer, philanthropist and human rights activist, whose work with Hong Kong's most vulnerable taught him the true importance of friendship and human connection.

5. Modern marketers need to be data alchemists. Today, marketers have access to a wealth of data; but we need to remember that there are humans beneath the data that are far more complex and nuanced. We have access to lots of big data, but not enough deep data.

6. As marketers we need to have courage and dare to differentiate, despite ‘best practice’ ‘and ‘what’s obvious’.

7. It’s not about the destination, it’s not about the journey, it's about the person you become on the way.

8. You can improve your human connection, especially in these times, by being vulnerable and sharing your story. Steer away from superficial conversations. Turn on your camera and mic on video conferencing. Regularly flex your social muscles. Particularly your skills for making new in-person connections. Wave, nod, acknowledge your neighbours

9. Having the courage to do difficult things and being able to overcome really tough challenges is not some innate trait that we are born with, it's a learned behaviour, we can learn to be brave and overcome challenges and it is all linked to mindset

10. We all need a little more bravery to make change.