It’s time for brands to start collaborating around content, specifically – it’s time for them to collaborate to fund, market and distribute films for social impact. I’ve been preaching this for awhile now, but to my knowledge, it has only happened once (more on that below). They also need to be collaborating with foundations and other traditional funders and supporters of social change films. Again, something I’ve been preaching, but it has become imperative during these times. 

This has become most pressing because of the recent Black Lives Matter protests, and the degree to which they’ve finally opened up so many people’s eyes to the issues we have in the US and the world around diversity, discrimination, inequity, and so much more. But it’s also been made more apparent by the Covid-19 crisis, which has both exposed so many similar issues and made them worse. Brands have been pretending to address the social issues facing our society for a long time, and have signed pledges, and have said they’re taking action. But as we’ve seen in so many areas – it takes a community to make change. These crises are too big for any one person or brand to tackle. Sure, Patagonia can bring attention to environmental issues, and Greta Thunberg has been an inspiration, but if we want real change, and to have a real impact, we need more collaboration. 

But there are multiple other, yet related, reasons for brands to collaborate. First, we’ve seen that years of cuts to government, and an alarming move to many more autocratic leaders have led to a complete failure of government. New Zealand is an exception, but in the US, we’ve now fulfilled Grover Norquist’s goal to reduce government to where it can be drowned in a bathtub. I am no fan of letting corporations take the role of government, and think it’s a travesty, but here we are (I am left of Marx, politically, but also a realist). In the US, Britain, Brazil, and so many other places, austerity has led to a situation where we have to rely on corporations, foundations and a few rich people’s funding for any progress. I’m down for blowing it up and building something better, but for now – we need corporations to take the lead.