You might have seen the moving ad from manufacturing giant GE demonstrating the emotional connection between its employees and customers.  (Embeded video at right – Subscribers may need to click through to see video.)

The spot shows an employee at work building devices for cancer treatment wondering about the people who benefit from his work, and then turns to an interview with a beneficiary of these devices wondering about the people who build the machines. The ad culminates in a tear-emitting meeting organized by the company bringing together customers and employees to share their different perspectives. One of the workers spoke of the meaning this experience brought to his work. One of the customers spoke of the pleasure she derived from meeting the people who make the machines.

This ad potentially portends a new wave of marketing in which organizations seek to promote their human sides and contributions to society to address the growing hostility toward business.

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