This is an archived blog from when I ran Conscious Public Relations Inc. from 2008-2018. Excuse the potential outdated-ness!
Our work with #sayhitoastranger
Today we’re giving tribute to the amazing Kaare Long of a Cue Creative Consulting for almost single-handedly starting a social movement in Vancouver that has gotten people talking: #sayhitoastranger.
Kaare, Sandra, Alla – Photo by Kaare Long
A movement to help Vancouverites become more friendly, it has brought together a community of people who believe in the movement, whether offline or online. While it might not be as visible as a public event (yet!), it has been an absolute honour to see Kaare inspire a team of individuals and businesses and rally us to achieve our common mission.
Conscious PR with the Bird on a Wire Creations staff
Secondly, we give tribute to the strangers that we encountered who, in the smallest of ways, have started to be the change. It’s very timely not only because this weekend took place over Valentine’s, but also because in my weekly friendships we have started to talk about how men and women treat strangers, and I got some raw, first-hand data during my time with the street team on Friday and Saturday. I found that men and women do engage differently. There were differences in how men and women on our street team said hello. Both men and women chose not to engage with us, but those who did had their own ways of supporting us. The reactions of strangers showed me how colourful our human race is, and these differences are refreshing; we can’t all be silent, and we can’t all be loud. There is a beautiful balance between us all.
#sayhitoastranger Street Team outside of Y’s Books on Main Street – Photo credit Elina Daoutova
Many people simply walked on by, perhaps thinking we were selling something or just weird, but most people said hi back. Some took time to engage and ask us what we were doing, and I know in my sou that we had a presence at each location where we were; without us and without the strangers, there would be no connection. We would simply be a bunch of strangers saying hi into thin air. Those strangers, they made OUR day, whether or not they knew it or they were rewarded with a treat for engaging with the local businesses.
I have learned in the very short weeks working on this campaign that this was probably our most ideal client project. It is one with a small story but one that is relevant in a global sense. We haven’t gotten international coverage yet, but with more and more people willing to get involved, we can get there.
Have you ever given tribute to strangers who may not know they have impacted you?
