For 2012, it’s: ‘unfuck’.

We did not choose this word lightly.

We have debated it for weeks. We found alternatives and pretended to be happy with them. But nothing sat well with us. Nothing else captured the unbearable need people have to find new ways to relieve the angst and the anger and the loss they’ve been struggling with for the past three years.

Nothing else captured the role we, as citizens, with resources, touchpoints and brands must start to play if we’re to strengthen our connections with people.

We need to stop talking. Stop waiting to be more ready. Start doing.

People need us to help them unfuck their lives, their communities, their futures. Their ‘todays’.

Not just ‘improve’; ‘better’; ‘give’; ‘help’; ‘encourage’; ‘smooth’; ‘facilitate’; ‘simplify’; ‘reassure’; ‘assuage’; ‘comfort’; ‘plan’; ‘manage’. But ‘unfuck’.

This is not a time for light words; light actions; light impact. We need to be able to answer the question: ‘what did you do to make things better? What did you do to unfuck the situation?’.  This is a time for bold action; bold impact. Bold words.

In many ways, it’s the most positive word we’ve ever come up with.

unfuck