Some would tell you that today we live in a materialistic world, where grabbing attention and gaining profit over your direct competitors in the market is key. Thriving to remain at the top of the chain, and competing to be and stay on the frontline of online searches at all costs. Mind you, while this is true and frankly there is nothing wrong in having ambition, however it all depends on the method applied.
Unfortunately there are businesses who are also ruthless in the process both in respective of their employees and clients. Well, rest assured that these type of approaches will not last or be fruitful in the long run, as the foundations are not build on ethics, and usually it is reflecting low standards and morals.
However, as we will see in this article, it is not all doom and gloom as out there exist trades which not only hone values, but do their best to mirror and share them via their company`s strategy. So, read on if you are still hopeful about the future of values while we try to bring a smile to your face, and hopefully inspire your business to do the right thing.
What is Brand Activism?
In a nutshell, brand activism is when a company opts to take a position on social, political, financial, or ecological issues which align with their values. This may be publicly shown by partnering with nonprofit organisations or collab with activist groups, but also by donating to charitable entities, operational changes, and external initiatives.
In the past, companies used to have their annual CSR or Corporate Social Responsibility day/s, during which they measured their social and economic impact by practicing in environmental, philanthropic, or ethical spheres. Moreover, trades will feature on their website or company`s statement showing how much they are reducing greenhouse emissions, providing a decent wage to their employees, and donating a portion of their profit to those in need.
However, nowadays, with people becoming more aware mainly via technology, about major issues like global warming, climate change, pollution, consumer privacy and human rights, the usual CSR is not sufficing anymore. Things evolve, and consumers relate to brands because they find pride in buying from trades who are honing, promoting, and assisting similar values. Clients expect their trusted companies to lead with values, as recent studies show that half of the buyers tend to purchase and advocate brands solely for their share of beliefs. On the other hand, there is low appetite for brands who remain silent on important issues, thus resulting in brand activism which has evolved beyond the CSR, transforming into its own set of business creativities and advertising plans.
Types of Brand Activism
We find that usually CSR is traditionally broken into:
- Environmental
- Philanthropic
- Ethical
- Economical
On the other hand, brand activism is segmented by:
- Medium (email campaigns, fund raising events)
- Type (political, social)
- Specific Cause (global warmings, LGBTQ+ rights)
Brand activism is also more society-driven than corporate-driven, covering a wider spectrum of issues, perspectives, and opinions. Let us explore the most common ones.
Cause Marketing – Usually comes as a collab between a for-profit business and a nonprofit organization or a charity campaign. It mainly helps to create awareness and engagement for both companies involved. Nonprofits with small marketing budget leverage on this partnership to reach and engage with potential supporters, while trades have the chance to build stronger relationships with both new and existing clientele.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) – The rise of tech and social media helped to highlight inequality and discrimination, leading to more consumers pushing for brand accountability, like lack of women in executive positions or people of colour not featuring in their marketing campaigns.
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) – This includes an evaluation of a brand carbon footprint, resource depletion, and waste management practices for Environmental, while labor standards, data protection laws, health, and safety protocols for Social. Governance holds issues related to political lobbying, auditing policies, and whistleblower programs.
Consumer Accessibility – Designing products and services which are primarily focused around disabled consumers, but also for those who are not, like providing automatic revolving doors, voice controls, and curb cuts.
Best Practices for Brand Activism
There are various methods how to approach and apply brand activism:
Define Company Values – Clearly set values, intentions, and goals, then align them with existing products and services
Identify Potential Risks – Robust study must be incurred prior to getting involved with say sociopolitical issues, as it can lead to unpleasant consequences affecting the brand
Work with Experts – Liaising with reliable and credible organisations, like for example LEGO partnered with UN Women, the Business Disability Forum, and Workplace Pride creating more inclusive workplaces
Listen to Feedback – Especially when highlighting sensitive issues like inequality or climate change, brands need to listen to stakeholders and consumers, accept criticism, change, and learn from their mistakes, as reputation could be at risk
In Conclusion
Reading about these companies who not only care about values, but promote and share them in their respective niches is inspiring. Respect to these trades which work is to be commended, while their strategy is nothing short of admirable.
We hope that more and more businesses who have strong principles become aware about this important facet of their trade, that they can, they should promote and spread their values, be exemplary and show the path, the right thing to do, to others across the board.
Consumers will notice and connect with those who share the same values, and as we know word-of-mouth is a powerful free publicity tool, so good examples about values will spread like wildfire. This will ultimately leave an excellent impact on both the trade and its clientele, therefore a win-win scenario, nothing to lose here. Go for it, recognise, hone, and spread values via your company`s strategy, it will yield only good, and since every corporate process is linked it will surely also impact positively on revenue.