Make a stand now

The days when brands could sit on the fence are long gone.

For those that do, splinters will be the least of their concerns. Instead, they risk becoming irrelevant.

Today, people are more empowered than ever to have their say on the issues that they care passionately about, or just simply get their goat.

Yes, some of it is just noise, clutter, or a mass of incoherent ramblings amid a social-media echo chamber.

But there are also compelling social, environmental and ethical discussions and movements which not only directly affect brands, but also provide them with the opportunity to engage with consumers in a far effective fashion than plugging a product.

Still, today, many brands hesitate to jump into conversations around social issues.

And in a sense, they are right to be wary, because for brands who are seen to be lacking commitment to a cause, or simply jumping on a bandwagon, the inevitable result is a consumer backlash.

Nevertheless, consumers actually want — and expect the brands they love to support them in the causes they care about.

Brand love

More than half of consumers (62 per cent) are looking to brands to speak up around issues related to equality and diversity, according to our recent Brand Love Index study, which we conducted with Kantar.

It also found that 59 per cent of millennials think it’s important that a brand supports women in leadership and closing the gender pay gap.

And 61 per cent of millennials expect companies to support the environment, especially those sectors with the ability to make a direct impact, like automotive (65 per cent), CPG (74 per cent) and tech (76 per cent).

In these cases, brands have the opportunity to drive the debate, or risk becoming the negative focus of it.

We see time and again, though, that the biggest challenge to engage consumers on the issues closest to their hearts is authenticity.

In my opinion, this is where content marketing comes into its own.

Brands can use content marketing to communicate a more complex and meaningful message with text, video, multiple images and more.

While other approaches may also work, the risk is that a lack of coherence and depth can leave brands open to accusations of opportunism.

Deepening connections

First, let’s assess some effective examples.

Take TIAA, a mission-driven company providing financial services in the academic, research, medical, cultural and government fields.

To commemorate its centennial, it launched the TIAA Difference Maker 100 programme and will award 10 people with $10,000 for the non-profit they work for.

The programme is being amplified by a branded content series that includes video and editorial showcasing the heartfelt stories of “difference makers” around the US who strive to make positive impact in their own communities.

Brands who want to deepen their connection with consumers should follow TIAA’s lead. Instead of only celebrating its major milestone within the company, TIAA used an important moment as an opportunity to champion causes close to its customers’ hearts and shine a spotlight on those making a difference in their own ways.

Another great example is the Stella Artois and National Geographic “Buy a Lady a Drink” campaign where, for every Limited-Edition Chalice sold, Stella Artois helped Water.org provide five years of clean water for one person in the developing world.

Through an integrated, multi-channel campaign that included custom content on NG.com, Stella Artois helped spark awareness, advocacy, and conversation about global water shortages with consumers around the globe.

The quality and depth of the content reinforced the fact that these social missions were well-thought out, genuine and capable of making a lasting difference. And consumers can tell the difference.

Examples from India

We saw such social issues being taken up by brands in India too. A while back, ITC’s Savlon came up with one of the most unique and creative concepts to encourage behavioural change towards washing hands among the school-going children in rural India. The initiative, launched on Children’s Day, saw innovative chalk sticks which were infused with cleaners like soap that created lather when hands were placed under water. It especially engaged children in primary schools and emphasised on the importance of washing hands before eating, to maintain hygiene and personal health.

The initiative reached out to more than 1 million children and was recognised among world’s top 10 best PR campaigns.

It is brand campaigns like these that create an impact in the mind of its consumers, and without doubt, Savlon was pretty successful in achieving that.

These examples helped show how the company was paying more than just lip service to a cause that it pledged to support.

We found that 61 per cent of consumers don’t mind if the content they see is branded, as long as it’s good quality-content that’s original, actionable, informative, thought-provoking and visually appealing.

Contrast this to where brands simply seek to align themselves with a social campaign via methods that are deemed to be gimmicky.

You don’t have to look far to find brands who try to show their support for issues such as International Women’s Day with a couple of social media posts and suffer a rapid consumer backlash.

One post does not create a social commitment, however genuine the intention. It needs to be part of a broader, credible, and well-executed content marketing campaign – where brands can reference their long-term commitment to social issues and cite examples of their policies and successes.

So, whether you’re advocating a specific issue or showing your support for consumers who do, content marketing is a powerful way to not only authentically deliver your message, but also build a lasting connection.

And if you are going to make a stand, it’ll need to be for more than a day to make a difference.

Rico Chan is Managing Director, Oath INSEA & Hong Kong

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