Chesed: Kindness in Digital Marketing
When I founded Tiny Windows Consulting, I wanted to build a company that walked the walk. We would do great things, and do them in a way that modeled how the story we tell on the inside can match the one we share on the outside. Not to flatter ourselves too much, but I think the TWC team has achieved a lot of fantastic, important work over the years. And a major part of that achievement has always stemmed from our groundedness in core Jewish values and our ability to translate them into our work.
Over the next few blogs, I’ll be sharing some of the Jewish values that guide the TWC ship on its journey and how they fit into the landscape of marketing and communications. Let’s start with chesed, often translated as loving-kindness.
What is Chesed?
Chesed is one of those words that doesn’t translate neatly into English, but it can sort of be described as a combination of kindness and compassion. The word embodies a sense of unconditional love and grace, characterized by selfless deeds and genuine concern for others. In the book of Exodus (34:5-6), chesed appears as one of the 13 attributes of G-d. Ramban, a renowned 13th century commentator, describes the attribute of chesed as being “the essence of G-d the Most High.” This is just one of many Jewish texts that relate to chesed as a foundational ethos, a way of growing closer to the Divine in our everyday lives.
Choosing Kindness in Everyday Life
Life is almost too full of opportunities to choose crankiness and anger. A morning at the DMV. A closed road or traffic that makes you late. Some rude person in line at the grocery store. Not to mention the onslaught of awful news that has every last person on edge, ready to explode like Vesuvius at the next person to bump into them.
Chesed invites us to remember that, in Jewish thought, we believe each person (yes, even the rude guy in line) was created in the Divine image — b’tselem elokim. That means we have a divine spark we can connect to, even at our crankiest. We can extend a hand of chesed to the people around us and bring kindness with us to each situation if we choose to do so.
From interpersonal relationships to communal responsibilities, this concept can serve as a guiding principle in ethical decision-making, urging us to prioritize compassion and understanding in our dealings with others. Maybe that looks like letting someone merge in traffic or taking a breath before responding to a frustrating situation at work. Maybe it looks like choosing the high road when it’s tempting to argue with some troll online. There are lots of ways to bring chesed into your everyday life.
But what does Chesed have to do with marketing?
In the dynamic landscape of the marketing world, where strategies often revolve around competition and profit margins, the concept of chesed can offer invaluable insights and advantages. It’s common to think of the primary goal of marketing as promoting products or services and driving sales. At Tiny Windows Consulting, we’d beg to differ. The team I’m honored to work with isn’t going to be working on any projects that aren’t grounded in genuine connections, trust, and an ethos of loving-kindness.
Take consumer experience as an example. Chesed emphasizes the importance of empathy and understanding towards customers — leading to authentic storytelling and inclusive messaging. Which, in turn, means your message will be heard by folks who really resonate with it. And your services or products? Those will also be embraced by a customer base who are truly engaged with the vision behind your organization. It all comes down to seeing people as people first. Or, in other words, chesed.
Chesed also encourages us to prioritize the well-being and satisfaction of our customers above all else. This means going above and beyond to exceed expectations, whether through exceptional customer service, personalized interactions, or acts of generosity. We genuinely care about our clients — and it shows in our commitment to excellent and individualized services.
Finally, bringing chesed into our work means we take integrity and transparency in marketing very seriously. Honesty and authenticity are paramount in building trust with our communities, especially in an age where skepticism towards advertising is prevalent. (For more on this, take a look at my recent post on ethical digital storytelling.)
Ultimately, chesed offers a powerful guiding light in our work. We’re striving to elevate our practices beyond mere transactional exchanges, fostering meaningful connections and contributing to a more compassionate and empathetic marketplace. By embodying principles of kindness, generosity, and integrity, we want to make a meaningful difference in the lives of our clients and communities.
Want to hear more about how we can incorporate Jewish values into your marketing project? Get in touch! To learn more about how Tiny Windows Consulting can help you realize your online storytelling dreams, reach out to us today and book a consultation.