LinkedIn has launched a TikTok campaign out of Sydney’s Barangaroo to help Australian professionals reframe ‘Tall Poppy Syndrome‘ via creative and production agency Jack Nimble.
Tall Poppy Syndrome is the uniquely Australian phenomenon of cutting down those perceived as successful. Sonia McDonald, CEO and founder of LeadershipHQ, believes the syndrome is rife in the country.
“Tall Poppy Syndrome is in our offices, in our communities, and even in the mirror sometimes,” she said.
“The best way to combat it is to start by celebrating success. We need to change the narrative from competitive to collaboration, from envy to encouragement. And it needs to start at the top. It becomes a problem when it deters us from sharing our ideas and celebrating our wins. This not only limits personal professional growth, but also the ability of Australia as a whole to innovate and think big.”
To launch the campaign, LinkedIn took to the streets of the city suburb with a real-life Tall Poppy, who delivered real poppy flowers. The stunt served as an ice-breaker to start important conversations around overcoming Australia’s awkward relationship with success.
The on-street activation was also supported by a partnership with Australian TikTok creator Sam Despo, who also runs the marketing agency Pulp Digital. Despo has kicked off an ‘I’ll Start’ challenge, encouraging Australians to share their experiences with #TallPoppySyndrome and offering advice for how to rise above it.
@samdespo I feel like this is getting out of hand, it’s time to make a change #linkedin #tallpoppysyndrome #australianculture #australianbusiness ♬ original sound – Sam Despo (Marketing)
LinkedIn partnered with other creators, including Fiona Wang, PreLuv, Level:Asian and Milly Rose Bannister to share their stories by stitching Despo’s video, with the hope of encouraging the broader TikTok community follow suit.
One positive indicator, according to McDonald, is that after engaging with the community at Barangaroo for the activation, she observed that Gen Z appears to be less affected by Tall Poppy Syndrome.
“They seem to be more supportive of their peers and more likely to celebrate their own successes,” she said.
“This brings me plenty of hope for finally squashing Tall Poppy Syndrome in Australia because this generation are our future, and in some cases, current leaders.”
Last month, The Benevolent Society – Australia’s oldest charity, focused on helping families, older Australians, and people with disabilities – launched its second work with Jack Nimble.
These latest projects follow the announcement in late May that Jack Nimble and its parent company, Sparro by Brainlabs, appointed four new senior hires across the agency group.
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