The brand represents the image of the company. Once destroyed, it’s hard to build its reputation back. Brands deliver the message of the product or service of the company and the vision of the business. But its function does not end there. Brands should also be relevant to be able to reach out to their target market. This brings us to an age-old question– should brands take a stand on current social issues or not?
While most traditional businessmen will agree that it is a good idea for a brand to always remain neutral, there are some situations wherein a brand taking a stand on a social issue may actually help in promoting it. With this, the answer is definitely a yes, and here are the reasons why:
It Makes the Brand More “Authentic”
First of all, it will make the brand look more authentic. By authentic, I mean that it will make the brand seem more “human” by engaging in “human” activities. By taking part in social discussions, a business not only shows its human side but it also shows the audience and the clientele that it actually cares about the society. It won’t stand on the side acting like a heartless entity. That in itself is already plus points for most people.
It Helps The Business Connect With the People
With social media being one of the most widely used mediums in sharing information, it’s not a surprise that social issues can become viral. Now, imagine that a big brand takes the side of its clientele on a social issue by making a short comment on Facebook or Twitter. That one move will already connect the brand to the people because people are going to talk about the issue. If a business also joins in on the fray, people will also start talking about the business and the brand as well. The more engaging you are with your fans and customers, the more it will help you connect to a bigger group of people. This in turn, will help you gain new clientele.
It Serves as a Marketing Material
Lastly, it would serve as a type of marketing material. According to the head of 72and Sunny, Jim Moriarty, marketing and maintaining a brand image to social good has shifted towards creating fewer but deeper things that will resonate with the customers. In other words, taking a stand in a social issue is going to be very effective for your business. The only concern here will be how you will execute the strategy. If you are not very adept at this sort of strategy, the best recourse would be the seek the help of a branding agency San Francisco.
Final Thoughts
Nielsen shows that 55% of consumers are more willing to pay more for products that support a good cause and advocates pro-social issues like same-sex marriage and gender equality. However, if you are to do the same for your brand, make sure that you have planned your marketing strategy well. You don’t want to make the same mistake Pepsi did with their advertisement featuring Kendall Jenner.