What Do Harry Potter and the #MeToo Movement Have in Common?
Edition #006 - The Seven Pillars of Internal Campaign
Welcome to Edition #006 of People Please! My goal with this newsletter is to help 100,000 professionals shift from "people pleasers" to culture-builders.
Edition #005 I have addressed Pillar 3 of The Seven Pillars of Internal Campaign: Collective Identity, examining the shift from DEI to Inclusion Without Labels, why this change is inevitable.
Harry Potter and the Me Too Movement: A Powerful Commonality
At first glance, Harry Potter and the Me Too movement may seem worlds apart—but both share a powerful commonality: they are emotionally charged narratives sustained by long-term consistency, creating lasting impact across generations.
Both Harry Potter and the Me Too movement show that emotionally compelling narratives—when sustained with consistency—become more than just stories or campaigns. They evolve into enduring forces that shape culture and drive meaningful change.
This power of storytelling is equally impactful in the workplace, especially when driving culture transformation.
In Edition #006, I’ll explore Pillar 4 of the Seven Pillars of Internal Campaign Design: A Compelling, Emotionally Charged Narrative—and how sustained, long-term efforts can drive lasting cultural change.
Seven Pillars of Internal Campaign Design: Insights from People Please Editions
In People Please Editions #003, #004, and #005, I’ve explored the Seven Pillars of Internal Campaign Design, using real workplace topics to guide HR & L&D professionals, leaders, and design thinkers in crafting impactful internal communication.
Each edition reveals a key pillar while providing a practical framework for real-world challenges like Sexual Harassment, Visionary Leadership, and the evolution of DEI.
Now, let’s dive into Cultural Transformation through the lens of:
4️⃣ A Compelling, Emotionally Charged Narrative—and the power of sustained, long-term efforts.
Successful campaigns are built on stories that make people care—but without consistent, long-term messaging, the effort falls short. While facts inform, its emotions that drive action. This is where Starbucks missed the mark. Despite taking a bold and meaningful step, their approach felt more like a one-time event rather than an ongoing conversation, causing the impact to fall flat.
Starbucks Case Study:
✅ Starbucks Racial Bias Training (2018) – After the wrongful arrest of two Black men at a Philadelphia Starbucks, public outrage was immediate. Instead of issuing a generic apology, Starbucks took decisive action by shutting down 8,000 stores for a day to conduct racial bias training for 175,000 employees. The emotional weight of real-life discrimination cases was used in the training, reinforcing the company’s commitment to inclusivity. This high-profile response showed that taking responsibility and addressing bias head-on can strengthen workplace culture.
But did this training worked? No, it didn’t —because it was a one-time effort rather than a comprehensive plan that should have integrated formal, informal, and social learning methods.
Bias training is a complex process focused on uncovering and addressing unconscious beliefs. It requires time, continuous effort, and a well-designed curriculum to drive cultural transformation by helping individuals recognise and challenge their negative biases, ultimately shaping more inclusive behaviours across the organisation.
A successful culture change doesn’t just rely on a leadership directive—it needs a powerful story that connects with people’s emotions and stays visible over time. A compelling narrative gives meaning to the change, while consistent, long-term communication keeps it alive across the organisation.
A compelling, emotionally charged narrative for culture change relies on:
Purpose: Define why the change matters.
Example: When Johnson & Johnson faced a major crisis during the Tylenol poisoning incident (1982), their Credo—a long-standing commitment to putting people first—guided their transparent response. This purpose-driven narrative not only saved the brand but also became a case study in how values-driven storytelling can shape culture.
How to Apply:
Share stories from employees who embody the desired culture.
Tie culture change to a bigger purpose—something people can feel proud of supporting.
Authenticity: Share real stories that people relate to.
Example: The Me Too movement (founded by Tarana Burke) started with personal stories of survivors. It became a cultural shift because those emotional accounts humanised the problem and gave others the courage to speak out.
How to Apply:
Collect and share personal narratives that reflect the new culture.
Use platforms like town halls, internal newsletters, and video stories to amplify real employee voices. For example, during Be.artsy’s Insurance Literacy Campaign for Pan-India Asian Paints employees, personal stories were captured during the awareness drive, highlighting the importance of topping up health insurance. These authentic narratives were later shared widely across the organisation, reinforcing the message and encouraging more employees to take action.
Symbols & Rituals: Create tangible reminders.
Example: At Microsoft, Satya Nadella’s cultural shift from a “know-it-all” to a “learn-it-all” culture was reinforced through rituals like growth mindset workshops and recognising employee innovation.
How to Apply:
Introduce recognition programs that reward behaviours aligned with your culture.
Use visual symbols (like powerful posters, icons) that reinforce key messages. Sharing a sample of Poster from one of the Be.artsy campaigns - “Never Again”
Consistency: Reinforce the message over time.
Example: NASA’s “Failure Is Not an Option” narrative from the Apollo 13 mission continues to shape their commitment to safety and problem-solving. It’s a story told consistently across decades to keep their culture intact.
How to Apply:
Share success stories regularly that show progress.
Ensure leaders model and repeat the narrative in every communication.
Involvement: Make employees part of the story.
Example: Unilever’s “Sustainable Living Plan” involves every employee in their mission for sustainability. Employees share how their work contributes to social and environmental impact, making it personal and ongoing.
How to Apply:
Create forums where employees can share their stories.
Encourage user-generated content to amplify diverse voices.
By anchoring your culture change in these principles, you transform it from a corporate initiative into a movement that lasts—just like history’s most powerful cultural shifts.
"A movement begins when a story is told—not once, but consistently, until people believe it’s their own." — Seth Godin
Best | Shikha Mittal | Founder, Be.artsy
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Why Trust Me?
Over the past 15 years, I’ve collaborated with 450+ organisations across 41 industries, designing and delivering learning and developing programs impacting over 500,000 professionals through my enterprise, Be.artsy. which I founded in 2010 in Delhi, India.
From small beginnings to global impact, Be.artsy has been at the forefront of using artsy and innovative approaches to tackle workplace challenges and promote inclusion.