Is better the new best?

It used to be that “Better” was a rest stop on the way to “Best” – a stepping stone that received some polite applause for effort, but wasn’t really a reason to celebrate.

But in a world of broken ecosystems, financial meltdowns, outdated processes and rampant bad decision making, “Better” may not only be our reality – it may actually be our greatest hope and a rallying cry more motivating than “Best.”

Take a look at some of the brands that are using “Better” as their new focus for innovation and a call for a shared commitment to improvement. Nike has committed to creating a “Better World.” Adidas wants to live in a “Better Place.” (Don’t confuse that with the much-hyped “Better Place” launched by Shai Agassi a few years back.) Arrowhead is getting in on it too – its water is “Born Better” – as well as BT, which also introduced “Better World” as its call to action for Corporate Responsibility in 2008 and has since evolved that to “Better Future.”

Last June at Sustainable Brands 11, Dave Cobban, Nike’s Consumer Mobilization Director, described the outcome when he asked his target audience – broadly, athletic young men – to visually depict the word “sustainability.” The images he got back were dark, hopeless, immovable and fatalistic. The word “better,” however, generated hopeful, optimistic, easy-to-opt-into pictures. Essentially, “Better” makes people feel like they can contribute to solving problems, and like there’s still a chance we can innovate to affect change.

Of course, brands that incorporate “Better” as a call to action create an expectation of continuous progress and ever-improving performance. It increases the need for a communications program that demonstrates how “Better” is being achieved on an ongoing basis, and what the benefits are to customer, employees, partners and stakeholders. 

So rather than looking at “Better” as a concession to reaching the top, it’s actually evolved into a reason to try harder, to think differently and to recognize we’re on a never-ending journey that doesn’t  stop with “Best.” “Better” isn’t an end; it’s the opportunity. And it’s open to everyone.