"Kind" and "nice" are terms often used interchangeably, but there's a significant distinction between the two. Both exude a certain amount of etiquette and friendliness, appearing agreeable and pleasant, but what truly motivates these characteristics?
What is kindness, and how can brands be kind instead of nice?
Kindness is compassion, sympathy, and consideration for others. Those who are kind will consider the quality of other’s lives as much as their own. "Nice" can, at times, be driven by internal motivators or delivered to achieve a goal. Kindness, on the other hand, is never intentionally manipulative. Brands should use empathy to build trust and rapport to create positive customer experiences.
The Farmer's Dog is one of my favorite brands. They wholly embody kindness and empathy, whether on social media or in their Super Bowl Commercial, always true to their tagline, "We're here for the dogs."
It's obvious The Farmer's Dog genuinely cares about the well-being of dogs and increasing time spent with their caretakers. The brand team has a special knack for bringing to light all the unspoken joys and loveable qualities accompanying canine companionship.
In a recent social campaign, they’ve taken a common thought, “I wish I could talk to my dog,” and transformed it into heartfelt, engaging content.
Those who are kind recognize the many things they don't yet know, the “known” unknowns. And, more importantly, the many things they don't know that they don't know, the “unknown” unknowns. They have enough intellectual humility to ask stupid questions and accept the mistakes they’ll make. They approach problems mindfully and take the time to digest and understand them before reacting. They don't aim to be right all the time; rather, they try to be less wrong in the long run.
Great brands stay humble to maintain flexibility, avoid complacency, and continue to evolve with culture over time.
Netflix started as a DVD rental by mail. During the late 90s, this alone was an innovation. Only a year later, Netflix changed its pay-for-use model into a subscription model. Nearly a decade later, Netflix became a streaming service and transformed how millions spend their free time.
Netflix remains successful because it continually changes its business model to adapt to the changing market.
Kindness is founded in truth. While "nice" seems approachable on the surface, its authenticity is unknown until proven. When people show genuine kindness, they can attract similar positive energy and find themselves surrounded by like-minded people. The same goes for brands. To spread joy in the world, brands must embody joy. To connect with Gen Z, brands must aim to truly understand their worries, behaviors, and experiences. Kind brands immerse in the thoughts and emotions of their audiences and engage with genuine sincerity.
LEGO has run the "Adults Welcome" campaign for the last few years. The ads position LEGO as a relaxation tool for adults to have peacetime away from stressful days. Similar to puzzles, building with LEGO bricks is a proven way to reduce stress. In fact, research shows that 80% of adults seek new ways to unwind. Crafting LEGO flowers, spaceships, cars, and castles is a great way to destress.
With their timely campaign, when nostalgia is trending amongst the zeitgeist, LEGO serves as a way to connect with your inner child and get away from screens.
LEGO embraced a kind approach — seeking to help calm adults – and, as a result, developed a new audience by adjusting their perception away from solely nerdy AFOLs (Adult Fan of LEGO) to mainstream appeal.
The “kind” gives guidance required to reach full potential by being honest, especially when doing so is uncomfortable. Kindness is voicing hard truths to help others become better versions of themselves. As David Foster Wallace said:
"A real leader is somebody who can help us overcome the limitations of our own individual laziness and selfishness and weakness and fear, and get us to do better things than we can get ourselves to do on our own."
A brand isn't just a logo and identity — it's also the people and the culture behind it. Teams who learn from experiences, grow professionally, and gladly align with the company's values naturally generate the results required to achieve the brand mission and objectives.
Don’t just be nice, be kind. Kindness is more than being agreeable and pleasant; it’s about being authentic, empathetic, humble, generous, and voicing hard truths. Kind brands are more likely to build strong relationships with their customers, their employees, and to ultimately leave a positive imprint on the world.
