Immaterial girls (and guys)

Comic Relief last night posted a record result, achieving nearly £55m, up from last year's £40m. All this at a time when 1 in 4 are worried about losing their job, over 90% are worried about the economy (from February The Futures Company data) and people are trying to cut back on their spending.

On the one hand, perhaps this data in itself explains the huge increase on last year. The 'distraction factor' that a cause like Comic Relief can give from the constant bombardment of recessionary gloom is powerful in itself. Harrowing as the scenes shown in Comic Relief are, they are an opportunity to forget woes closer to home.

But maybe there's a deeper, if connected, reason. Another piece of data from The Futures Company data shows that around half think that pre-recessionary consumerism profligate (I can't remember the exact wording of the question) and about the same number see this recession as causing a fundamental change in how we consume. As business as usual consumption becomes less appealing, is it that causes and values-based spending is more important?

Of course, Comic Relief is a strong brand and this year its infrastructure and a hugely 2.0 approach will have helped more than ever to facilitate engagement (both emotional and in terms of donating) with this brand.

Whatever the reason, it's more evidence that recessionary pressures do not mean we suddenly drop all our values and hold on to every last penny.