By Lily Bridgewater
Should brands use their voices to get involved in the political realm? Or should they stay out of it all together?
 |
| Nike's trademarked logo and slogan make their products easy to identify |
Today some of the loudest voices that exist come in the form of big brands. People follow brands like Nike, Apple, Stance and Google like they follow religion. There are people who live eat and breathe specific brands because the brand lifestyle and values resonate with them.
So what about when the brand has something to say that isn't necessarily about the way you play the game or the product? Should they risk losing loyalty and sales or should they keep quiet and stay in their lane?
Although brands will likely suffer a loss of some from when they make political statements, I believe it's better and more beneficial for them to use their platforms to make statements than to stay silent in today's political climate.
Brands and Their Voices
It isn't enough for brands just to be making ads anymore, they have to be engaging and responding to the consumers, the more engagement the better light the consumer sees the brand in. The consumers are no longer simply absorbing advertisements, now it's about engagement (click here to read the rest of the article). It's about what the brand makes you feel and how you feel about the brand as a whole.
People connect to certain brands because they share the same values. If you like Patagonia that means you're outdoorsy, you care about the environment and you'd rather be outside. If you like Vans you value the surf skate culture, California chill and the iconic checkerboard pattern. People outfits themselves in brands that represent who they are and what they stand for. These values are often demonstrated through advertising.
Why Advertising Works
One of my professors in the advertising program always says "make 'em laugh or make 'em cry". Advertising works because it plays on our emotions.
 |
| VWs Viral SuperBowl Ad |
Good advertising is always focused on pathos. If you as an advertiser can make your consumer feel something, their job is halfway done.
Social issues are already emotionally charged. There is no need to create a story to elicit an emotion in the consumer when the consumer is already feeling so much.
Why The Risk Is Worth It
People know that making any sort of political statement in the public sphere is often seen as an opportunity to criticize. We've all seen the long threads of conversations on Twitter or Facebook regarding politics.
Making political statements can polarize people and repercussions can be dangerous, but research shows that 44% of millennial would show more loyalty towards their CEO if they took a stance of hotly debated issues.
Millennial's value action and activism. Millennials resonate with companies who take on social issues. They are more likely to work for them and support them (see here ).
Historical Voices
Back before there were well known brands with loud voices there were well known people with loud voices. One of my favorite people in history who insisted on voicing his opinion was Martin Luther.
Martin Luther was a Catholic priest who couldn't let go of the discrepancies between the Bible and the Catholic church. He refused to stay in his lane and he did something about it. Martin Luther had a duty to voice his opinion and stand up for what he believed in, especially because he had a voice. When Martin Luther spoke people listened.
Similarly to Martin Luther, big brands have loud voices and people do listen. Even though it can be polarizing and there are some negative effects that come from it, brands have the unique opportunity to speak and be heard by millions. Not speaking up in today's political climate when brands are equipped with such a large influence is huge missed opportunity.
Nike in Politics
|
In the article he says, "'I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,' Kaepernick told NFL Media in an exclusive interview after the game. 'To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way.'"
People were angry. They were angry that he wasn't supporting the nation, they were angry that there was such an 'un-American' display at such an American sporting event and they were angry because they didn't agree.
This last August, Nike latched a campaign about standing up for what you believe in with Kaepernick as the spokesperson (view ad here) and it blew up. Even though there was significant backlash, sales shot up 31%. People who didn't agree with Kaepernick but loved the brand Nike suddenly felt like they needed to choose. Their values no longer aligned with Nike's and people made sure Nike heard them. They even started burning their nikes to make a statement (read here).
Last Thoughts
I understand those people who burned their nikes. If a brand I loved made a statement that went against my values I would feel betrayed too. But the fear of stepping on toes isn't a good enough reason for brands to stay out of politics when they have such a huge opportunity to make their voices heard.
Image Credit:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nike-Tick-Just-Do-It-Poster-Wall-Art-Print-Card-or-Canvas-/271989120192
http://www.dailysportx.com/news/super-bowl-commercials
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/nikes-colin-kaepernick-just-do-it-ad-air-nfl-opener-thursday-1140018
No comments:
Post a Comment