(BPT) - In this era of instant communication and hyperconnected social media, you might think everyone feels connected to everyone else. Unfortunately, that's not the case. According to a new global study from LG on social connection, 68% of people find it harder to make real friends, and 1/3 reported having one or fewer meaningful connections in the past month - with 8% experiencing none at all. In the survey, 9 in 10 respondents also believe meaningful connections lead to a more optimistic outlook on life.
It would appear that all that posting, scrolling and "liking" has little to do with real human connection. And human connection is vital to everyone's happiness and well-being.
"One of the most reliable predictors of happiness is having deep and meaningful relationships. Yet today, many people are spending more time online and less time connecting in person," said Jean M. Twenge, professor of Psychology at San Diego State University. "Social media in particular tends to create shallow relationships rather than the deep connections people need. It's common for people to have hundreds of followers but no one to talk to in real life if they need support. We need to build more meaningful connections with those around us. That might turn around the pronounced decline in happiness that's occurred over the last decade."
With the goal of building more meaningful connections, LG Electronics is leaning further into its "Life's Good" philosophy with a new "Radio Optimism" campaign designed to help people everywhere foster deeper connections. Using technology with a creative, playful and positive spin, Radio Optimism uses the universal language of music to help people express friendship and love with the people they care about.
How Radio Optimism works
Inspired by traditional radio's unique way of connecting people through music and storytelling, the Radio Optimism platform is an interactive platform where anyone can create and send personalized songs to loved ones - no musical background or songwriting experience required!
All it takes is a few taps. You step into Radio Optimism at RadioOptimism.LG.com, then tap "Let's Make a Song" to join and begin your story. Choose your preferred language, then enter who the song is for and write a brief prompt about what you want to express to them. Next, you select a style for your song, ranging from R&B to punk and everything in between, followed by a "vibe," be it romantic, moody, melodic or energetic. The Radio Optimism tool does the rest, writing a unique song in just minutes that you can share with your friend or loved one to bring a smile to their face and make a genuine connection with them.
Once generated, your songs can be sent to recipients to deepen your connection - and can even be made available for others to discover worldwide. This way of expressing feelings can help people enrich their lives, while spreading optimism in their own unique style. The website is free and currently available in English, Spanish, German, French, Korean and Portuguese, with plans to support additional languages in coming months to enable broader participation.
"As technology advances, meaningful human connections become increasingly vital to enrich our lives," said Hyoeun Kim, head of LG's Brand Management Division. "LG continues its commitment to bringing optimism into customers' daily lives, staying true to our enduring brand promise of 'Life's Good.'"
Start creating your own meaningful songs for friends and family today at RadioOptimism.LG.com, and learn more about the campaign on LG.com/lifesgood.