In the UK, we’re ADDICTED to GDP as a measure of success. Isn’t there a better alternative?

GDP was coined in the 1930s and the chap that came up with it warned people not to use it as a measure of a country’s success or sign of societal progress. Because it’s just a measure of activity.

We love the observation from World Wellbeing Movement board member and previous Cabinet Secretary, Gus O’Donnell, that if you volunteer time to help a charity GDP won’t go up. But if you start selling drugs or guns, it will.

GDP is a really terrible measure of success because it doesn’t measure anything meaningful – like actual outcomes or impact on society or, better still, individuals.

But, tell that to politicians and journalists.

This is something the World Wellbeing Movement is trying to change, and they asked us to help.

We’re not ones to shy away from a tough brief… and this certainly is one of those!

In the words of one national journalist:

“GDP runs the show. Everything hangs off those statistical releases. And it’s totally out of whack with what’s really going on – especially now. But it’s way beyond my powers to change that machine.”

Our job was to secure media coverage to start to chip away at GDP as the prevalent measure of a country’s success – to help plant the seeds of an alternative way of looking at things.

It’s often felt like we’re swimming against the current, because (along with our brilliant client) we are.

But (together with their amazing team and board) we have had some success.

Including an interview with Gus O’Donnell, on Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart’s Leading podcast (listen below).

There’s also been some really powerful pieces of coverage in Tortoise Media (anyone else love Tortoise? Looks like they’re about to buy The Observer), The Big Issue and a six-minute segment on BBC Radio 4’s PM programme with Evan Davis.

It’s time we moved beyond GDP… population wellbeing would be a much saner thing to measure and aim for. The science behind wellbeing measurement is robust. And the ONS has already been measuring it for a decade. We just need to take note.

If you want to hear more from Gus O’Donnell on this issue, check out the interview below 👇