“Hello Neighbor!”
If the latest statistics are to be believed, you may not have heard that phrase for a while.
According to a recent study by AEI, fewer than 2 out of 5 people regularly engage with their neighbors. This stat got me thinking about a woman I had the honor of interviewing a few years back. Her name is Geri. I interviewed her because my company worked on the CDC’s “TIPS From Former Smokers” campaign back when the government funded such things. You might recall the ads. People with all types of maladies that could be attributed to tobacco use would pop up on whatever screen you happened to be on and tell you how tobacco ruined their lives and stole their futures.
Yup, that was compliments of your friendly “neighborhood” marketing agency. And if we ruined smoking for you… you’re welcome.
Geri was one of the many people we featured in that campaign. Before she had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), she was a mail carrier. I asked Geri what tip she could give people.
“I had a supervisor when I first started who told me, ‘Be nice to your customers, especially your older customers, because sometimes you’re the only person they see all day.” Geri said. “Now, sometimes, the mailman is the only person I see.”
You see, back then being by yourself, without contact from your neighbors, was considered a terrible and sad thing.
Today, evidently, it’s the norm. And that’s not right.
But why is it commonplace today? What’s driving us apart? Is it politics? Social media? Did all of the fear and anxiety over COVID’s social distancing rules create a “new normal?”
Irrespective of the cause, I think we can all agree it’s not healthy. It may be worse than not healthy. If you subscribe to the same or similar worldview as I, “Love thy neighbor” is kind of a big deal.
How can I love you if we don’t speak? And herein lies the rub.
All too often, the reason we don’t talk more is because of fear. Maybe you’re not like me. Maybe we won’t see eye-to-eye. Maybe you’re a Red Sox fan! (I jest)
None of these are real reasons. As I alluded to before, I am a marketing professional. I can tell you unequivocally: iPhone vs. Galaxy; McDonald’s vs. Burger King; Coke vs. Pepsi; Republicans vs. Democrats; Ford vs. Chevy; PlayStation vs. Xbox; Café Bustelo vs Pilón. And yes, even Yankees vs. Red Sox
These divisions are all manufactured nearly entirely by marketing.
Sure, there are differences. But the differences between you and me aren’t that great.
We both love our kids. Heck, we both love each other’s kids. We both want everyone to be safe, happy, well-educated. None of us wishes ill of the other.
We want our city to be awesome, and our leaders to not be corrupt or incompetent.
And we all hate Miami drivers!
See, we have a lot in common.
So, here’s what I want you to do: Find a way to introduce yourself to your neighbor. Tell them what you like about living in your neighborhood. Talk about dogs or cats or the weather or your kids or grandkids or whatever. Ask if there’s anything you can do for them, then do it.
I promise you, an amazing thing will happen. You’ll find out that you and your neighbor aren’t that different after all. You’ll learn that there are really awesome people living all around you.
And maybe, just maybe, you’ll figure out that whole “Love your neighbor” thing was more for your benefit than theirs.
Hello Neighbor. I’m Thom.
Thom Mozloom is the president and CEO of The M Network, a Miami-based creative agency. He appears frequently in national and local media as a marketing, messaging and branding expert.
