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KIND Launches Storytelling Campaign to Inspire Empathy, Kindness

The campaign explores the differences between being 'nice' and being 'kind' — an often overlooked distinction that has tangible implications on how we act towards one another.

By Sustainable Brands | Published 7 years ago | About a 4 minute read

Image: KIND

Furthering its mission to create a kinder, healthier world — one snack at a time — KIND has launched a new video campaign that explores the courage it takes to be kind towards strangers in an effort to kindle a conversation about what it will take to overcome the issues currently dividing the US.

The video release, in conjunction with a nationwide contest, is part of KIND’s effort to explore the differences between being “nice” and being “kind” — an often overlooked distinction that has tangible implications on how we act towards one another.

“We’ve all been overwhelmed by the historic rifts tearing our country apart,” said Daniel Lubetzky, founder and CEO of KIND Healthy Snacks. “For years, KIND has explored how difficult it is to step out of one’s comfort zone and practice kindness — especially towards someone with whom you disagree. Now, more than ever, that extra effort is required to rediscover our shared humanity and tackle challenges related to misunderstanding and intolerance.”

To kickstart the conversation, KIND has released a storytelling series that illuminates this distinction and plays up the following themes:

Nice is polite, but not always what we need to hear. Kind is honest and stands its ground.
Nice can be passive. Kind requires action and courage.
Nice doesn’t add to problems. Kind solves them.
Nice is something you say. Kind is something you do.
Nice doesn’t bully. Kind stands up to stop the bully.

The latest video in the series, More Than Nice, was directed by Emmanual Lubezki, three-time Academy Award winning cinematographer of Birdman, Gravity and The Revenant, with co-director Chris Wilcha. The piece visually captures Lubezki’s personal interpretation of kindness through the eyes of volunteers who leave jugs of water across the US-Mexico border. The humanitarian group’s intention is to prevent suffering and death of migrants. The issue hits home for not only Lubezki, but also for Lubetzky, his cousin: both are Jewish-Mexican immigrants and proud citizens of the United States who have used their respective platforms to connect people, expand understanding and strengthen communities.

“I was struck not just by the incredible courage but also by the tremendous empathy that these volunteers had, going out of their way to protect the well-being of fellow human beings they may never meet,” said Lubezki. “There is no sacrifice in nice, but being kind requires it. In the video, we attempt to portray the human element of such a polarizing issue in a way that transcends politics and reminds us all of the frailty of the human body and the invincibility of the human spirit.”

The rest of the videos in the series — including a study on the motivations of a war veteran and firefighter who dedicates his free time to help children that are burn victims — juxtapose nice and kind in a myriad of both practical and aspirational ways, but all encompass the same core beliefs.

Taking the campaign one step further, KIND is inviting people to share their own take on the difference between nice and kind by submitting a written essay, photo or video. A panel of judges, made up of entrepreneurs, creative story tellers, journalists and activists, will select three winners.

Winners will receive $25,000 to donate to the charity of their choice, along with cash prizes and photography/videography gear to help fund their next creative project.

The video series builds on previous efforts from KIND to build bridges between people and inspire empathy. In April, The KIND Foundation launched the Pop Your Bubble tool, a digital tool designed to connect Facebook users with people who are different than them, thereby challenging consumers to step outside their comfort zones and change their perspectives. Just weeks after its launch, the tool had already fostered nearly 60,000 connections. KIND later launched Empatico in October, a free online learning tool that enables students to practice communication and leadership skills. By the end of 2020, the platform endeavors to reach more than one million students in 25 countries and make it possible for kids everywhere to connect with one another.