Mandated social distancing has led to greater dependence on digital connection, collaboration, and mutual support. Connected camaraderie leads to heightened focus on belonging and collective power, strengthening a mindset we call Wired for We.

People and brands are shifting focus to assist those most vulnerable. Liam Elkind, a student in New York City, organized Invisible Hands via a Facebook page. In just three days he amassed 1,300 volunteers, all braving the streets to shop for and deliver supplies (contactless, of course) to at-risk people.

Venmo is encouraging collective support through #venmoitforward, crediting $20 to users who send their own funds to help essential workers. Horizon’s Distillery team found the hashtag has nearly 500 mentions across Twitter since its creation on March 30.*

Homebound people feeling the strains of separation are getting a pick-me-up from virtual broadcasts that bring the masses together. Streaming from his kitchen, DJ D-Nice kickstarted his musical Instagram live-streams on March 18 and attracted 200 viewers. Dubbed Club Quarantine, his streams have only grown since then, rallying 150K partiers at a time including icons like Michelle Obama and Ellen. On April 4, Club Quarantine became a collaboration with Will Smith’s Bel-Air Athletics now raising money for the CDC.

Brands can also bring people together while apart. A fast-casual restaurant brand could host cooking parties via Zoom, streaming their kitchen craft and signature cocktails and inviting people to join in on the activity. The brand can give away discounts on favorited entrees to streamers who join, giving people something to look forward to when dining IRL can restart.

Source: *Netbase. April 2020