Greetings everyone, my name is Julie Masters and welcome to another episode of Inside Influence. In which I delve into the minds of some of the world’s most fascinating influencers – or experts in influence – to get to the bottom of what it really takes to own your voice – and then amplify it to drive an industry, a conversation, a movement or a nation.
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I don’t know about you, but when I think about the advertising world, some of my first thoughts go to the likes of the world of Mad Men-esque boardrooms of people trying to work out how to manipulate, dictate and create my behaviour. People trying to work out how to sell the un-sellable! I think of the moments I’m at the airport waiting for a flight and scrolling instagram or finding the next Peppa Pig video for my daughter to watch on YouTube, and having my moment of entertainment interceded by a brand with a need to sell.

But in this changing world, where we’re less likely than ever to trust the things we see online or the ads we’re served on social media, where we’re seeing more business jump on the bandwagon of being driven by purpose, by being connected with the heart and soul of their story, what does this mean for advertising? What does the reality of this entire industry have to be? What does it look like and feel like, not only as a consumer, but as an individual, a brand, to be more connected to the soul of our business? What does it look like for business to have character, and heart?

In today’s episode of Inside Influence, my guest is exploring exactly this, the intersection of heart and advertising, putting together two words that I’ve never heard used together before, but when I read what he was on about couldn’t help but think to myself YES, this man is onto something special. See, today’s guest has spent years building a new world creative agency, that’s more about building brand character and humanity, than the easy tactics of flattery and manipulation.

Jason Harris is not only the CEO of powerhouse creative agency Mekanism, but he is also the author of The Soulful Art of Persuasion, his guide to becoming a master influencer in a world of distrust. Based on his experience in and out of the boardroom, and drawing on the latest in-depth research on trust, influence, and habit formation, Jason makes a compelling argument for being persuasive in a culture plagued by deception means rejecting an ethos of quick and embracing the commitment of putting your truest self forward and playing the long game.

Through yet another vibrant and engaging conversation, Jason and I explored things like:

Why playing the long game is the key to coming out in front, and what does it look like to play the long game
Applying a philosophy of ‘Never Be Closing’ – and still win more business in the long run
The art of giving yourself away – and how not to let it take over your life
Why learning to design, own and tell your unique story – is the key to cut through
The importance of ‘turning to face the strange’, knowing why you’re different and understanding the beauty of it

Today’s conversation is for all of us – not just the advertisers or the business owners. It’s for those of us trying to work out what our mark to make on the world is and how we tell that story. It’s for those of us who haven’t yet turned to face the beauty of our own strange, and those of us working out what to do with it next. So grab your notepad, this one is chocked full of quotes that will inspire and motivate you, and enjoy today’s episode of Inside Influence.