If you are on social media, you have probably viewed, or at least heard about, the “Chewbacca mask video” (if not, type that phrase into Google and you’ll find it!). It was a video of a woman in a van, filming herself wearing a Chewbacca mask that roars – which makes her laugh hysterically. It was streamed via FacebookLive to her friends, but quickly broke records and has been viewed over 150 million times.
Described in writing, it sounds completely mundane! And in many ways it was. But when she donned a mask intended for kids, her pure, childlike joy and laughter connected with viewers. People responded because it was innocent of any agenda, just her having fun and videoing something that she thought was hilarious. There were knockers – people who found it completely unfunny, who thought the viral nature of it was ridiculous and who didn’t ‘get it’. Personally I didn’t find the video itself particularly funny – but I did love her complete disregard of social expectations and her utter hilarity at something so simple.
So what can ‘Chewbacca woman’ teach us in business? Maybe she is on to something when she shows us that being authentic and spontaneous, even though it’s ridiculous and mundane, connects with people.
Perhaps we are sometimes too serious about the ‘business of business’? Perhaps we worry too much about being taken ‘seriously’ that we forget to be authentic? I know as a micro business owner, I can be guilty of this. When I look at my long term clients, I know one of the reasons they have stayed loyal to me is because of genuine connection. Yes, they like my work and want me to be professional! But sharing some personal information, making a joke during email correspondence, and talking to them authentically as I would a friend, seems to be a big factor. But it took me quite a few years to realise how important this interaction was.
If you are still unconvinced about the power of laughter and spontaneity, Google this video: “Baby Laughing Hysterically at Ripping Paper” (and make sure you have a big belly laugh when you watch it).
Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender
