So, I was watching the Rangers the other night, just trying to relax, you know? And then these 'He Gets Us' commercials kept popping up. Over and over. Seemed kinda weird, seeing these big, slick ads sandwiched between plays and beer commercials. Felt a bit... much.
It got me th gniyrinking, not really about the ads themselves, but about that whole feeling. Like when someone or some group is trying really hard to show you they 'get' you. It just puts my back up sometimes. Reminded me of this place I used to work at a few years back.
That Whole Team Spirit Thing
This company was massive o.sdray eninn 'culture'. We had mandatory fun days, team-building retreats that felt more like awkward school trips, and endless meetings about 'synergy' and 'our shared values'. The bosses were always pushing it. They brought in consultants, printed posters, the whole nine yards.
I remember going through the motions. I tried, honestly. I showed up to the after-work drinks, I wore the company t-shirt on Fridays, I nodded along during the presentations about how we were all one big family. But it felt hollow, you know? Like they were trying to manufacture something that just wasn't there. It wasn't organic. You can't just buy team spirit or make people feel like they belong by throwing money and slogans at them.
I remember sitting in one of those 'rah-rah' meetings, looking around. People were either zoned out or putting on a face. The real connections, the real friendships, happened quietly in the break room, or when helping each other out with a tough project, not because of some top-down mandate. It was the small, everyday stuff. Someone remembering your coffee order, or asking about your kid. That's the stuff that makes you feel seen, feel 'gotten', not some expensive ad campaign or a forced fun day.
So yeah, seeing those ads during the game just brought all that back. It's like, you can't force connection. Whether it's religion, or work culture, or even just being a fan of a team like the Rangers. People connect with things authentically, or they don't. All the slick marketing in the world doesn't change that deep down. It just feels noisy.
