Politics and Your Brand
It seems everything is political these days. And major brands are not shy about making political statements and standing up for what they believe in. They do this based on whom they cast in productions and ads, their political contributions, and even how they treat their employees.
While it is generally best for companies to stay out of politics, sometimes it’s not always possible.
For brands that do insert themselves into the political discourse, the risks and rewards can be high. Here’s what you need to know:
Identity is Politics
The personal is political, and we see it in every election cycle. With sensitive topics, such as housing (or rental/mortgage costs), abortion, healthcare, government assistance, race, and education at the center of discourse, most people feel like their own existence and experience is a political football.
Many feel their identity has become political, whether they like it or not. By supporting a kneeling football player or closing your business on Sundays out of religious observance, brands commit to their values and make political statements every day.
The Rise of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging as Business Practice
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) is now standard business practice, bolstered by the fact that it can increase worker happiness and profits, with businesses that embrace diversity seeing as much as a 36 percent increase in profitability versus companies that do not focus on it.
Now, even leading businesses in recalcitrant industries, such as defense, are touting their DEIB councils — but not all these companies are putting this intention into play. For example, placing transparent salaries on job postings promotes pay equity, but many companies still won't commit to that practice.
As brands rush to meet this expectation, they sometimes fail to implement the type of DEIB solution their workforce wants while putting on a big branding show about their corporate diversity.
Younger Consumers Bend the Market
You must know your target audience and provide a level of branding associated with your primary demographic. However, regardless of the industry, younger consumers tend to bend the market to match their needs. As boomers age and Generation X approaches a stage of serious retirement planning, Millennials continue to strive to figure it all out and Generation Z prefers to define everything for themselves.
Here are some things to know about Generation Z when you consider marketing inclusively:
Gen Z is likely to be the most educated generation yet, overall
They are more diverse than any other generation, with over half of this generation identifying as a racial or ethnic minority
Three in ten live with an unmarried parent
If You Make a Commitment, Keep It
One of the toughest things about committing to any kind of ethical practice inclusive of someone's race, income level, or religion is that it's never possible for a brand to be perfect on this. Eventually, you will mess up or at least run into conflicting needs from your consumers and employees.
Being ethical and keeping promises to be inclusive is likely profitable in the long run, but you will incur some expenses to see it through.
Crafting a brand experience has always been a precise art, but a brand's values and stated, public commitment to one "side" politically is something to consider with care. Let us help you determine and direct your brand message about controversial political topics, as you'll need to issue opinions and statements on them at any given point in the future.
