Brand’s Position on a Social Issue Can Drive Purchase Intent as Much as Product Features

Oct 8, 2018

nyc-ad-agencyIn the Harvard Business Review, Scott Goodson founder of StrawberryFrog argued that companies and brands adopting traditional branding and positioning will pale in effectiveness against brands that take a stand for social issues in the form of a brand-fueled marketing movement. At StrawberryFrog, we’ve said that in the past consumers looked to brands as trust marks. No more. Now people trust themselves and their friends. And brands are left trying to find a meaningful role in people’s lives.

Purpose-driven branding will help your company, brand or organization grow. Brands that go one step engineer a brand-fueled marketing movement, in which purpose is activated, that will succeed in this fragmenting media environment.

Last week the Wall Street Journal wrote a story to further confirm this truth. “Taking a stand on a political or social issue could do a brand more good than harm at the checkout counter…people around the world are increasingly taking into account what brands stand for when they buy a product.”

Companies are increasingly voicing opinions or tying their marketing to hot-button issues. Earlier this year, Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc.increased its gun-buying age to 21 — amid a national debate over school shootings and gun control– while luxury car brand Audi promoted gender pay equality in its Super Bowl commercial last year.

The most recent example: Nike’s latest ad effort featuring Colin Kaepernick, the former National Football League quarterback who sparked a protest movement by kneeling on the field during the national anthem to call attention to racial injustice.

The rise of social media has given consumers a megaphone to publicly demand that corporations weigh in on political or social issues that arise.

It’s a big change. Companies have long gone out of their way to be non-political, as to not alienate any portion of their customer base. Many craft neutral statements to avoid any controversy.

Ad executives say the change in approach is being driven by younger generations that expect brands to make a difference in society and take a stand on important issues.

By StrawberryFrog

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