Bloom Thinks: A new kind of power

The country has chosen to put new people into power.
What knock-on effect could it have on the brands we choose?

We’ve just experienced a piece of history unfolding. Weirdly our shift from right to left happens once a generation – 1945, 1974, 1997 and 2024. As ever the swing is from protecting the establishment and status quo, to a more public-spirited, pragmatic and progressive approach.

Whichever way you voted, it’s a big shift in our national culture. It seems like there are two opposing sides to British character. On the one hand we’re islanders – self-assured, self-sufficient and individualistic. On the other we’re globalists – connected, inclusive and broad-minded.

We’re embarking on an era when the latter side leads. The new government has promised stability, moderation, calm, patience and respect for all. If this plays out over coming months and years, then what could it mean for brands?

Here are five themes that brands could capitalise on if and when the shift spreads and grows:

- Rolling up sleeves and getting jobs done. Like WD-40’s ongoing Repair Challenge.

- Grassroots collaboration and shared learning. Like Puma’s Re:generation co-creation project.

- Being more open about mistakes. Like KFC or Apple apologising for supply issues and advertising blunders.

- Making life and progress feel more human. Like Nothing Phone’s curious, community-driven tech.

- Making sure sustainability includes people, as well as planet. Like IKEA’s drive to make sustainable living easy and cheap for all.

These are all pre-election examples. But a new government, with very different values from the one before, will help accelerate and shape thesemore open, human and progressive brand behaviours.

Of course it’s early days. The challenges are intimidating. And many voted more to punish the old party than bring in the new. But the choice has been made and change is in the air. Brands would do well to think carefully about how to follow the biggest cultural shift of recent times.