Taking the (Right) Stand Matters
Brands must take a stand…or risk being left behind.
You’re reading Section 4 of 4 of the DEFY Media and DoSomething Strategic “Brand Love & Ad Nausea” report. Check out Sections 1, 2 & 3.
Brands can have a powerful influence on young consumers — informing their opinions, reinforcing their values, and shaping their perceptions of “what’s good.”
So what sparks this fickle group to deeply engage with a brand or actively disconnect from it?
According to the research DEFY Media and DoSomething Strategic conducted of young people ages 13–25, what pops at the very top of the list starts to blur with something else we’ve seen in this report, the same reason they don’t like ads: boring, repetitive, and irrelevant.
But young consumers also turn away from a brand based on its behavior. When a brand violates a young person’s sense of social responsibility, they will display their dissatisfaction and “unfollow” it on social.
But does that dreaded unfollow actually impact sales? Absolutely: 76% of respondents reported they stopped using a brand after unfollowing it on social media.
Beyond the Unfollow…Why Young People Stop Using a Brand
And do the same factors that go into unfollowing a brand on social actually impact purchase behavior?
YES!
Not surprisingly, consumers will stop using a brand if it lets them down. This can be due to price increases and product quality issues (looking at you, Lululemon), but it’s also due to actions not in line with young people’s values and beliefs.
Young people not only want to social responsibility in the companies they follow and purchase, they demand it.
Case in point: the week following the #DeleteUber campaign (which trended after Uber appeared to capitalize on a taxi driver boycott of New York’s Kennedy Airport following President Trump’s first travel ban order), more than 500,000 users requested their accounts be deleted.
Young people not only want to social responsibility in the companies they follow and purchase, they demand it; a large majority of our survey respondents (69%) believe brands should stand up for what they believe in, even if controversial, and over half (58%) say a brand’s ads should include the company’s values and beliefs.
The desire for brands to include their values in advertising may arise from the relative few who seek information on a brand’s social stance or charitable initiatives. Only 11% of young people actively sought information on a brand’s social, environmental or political position, employee diversity, or the causes it supports.
You see the importance of clearly articulating your social impact platform to young consumers with brands like TOMS and Warby Parker — the “belles of the social impact ball.” These brands infused purpose into their ethos from the beginning and made it a part of their value proposition and brand differentiator…and they’ve been reaping the benefits because of it.
Only 11% of young people actively sought information on a brand’s social, environmental or political position, employee diversity, or the causes it supports.
But you’re also starting to see long-standing brands like American Eagle Outfitter’s Aerie reinventing themselves and using their marketing platforms for social good. And it’s paying off in both loyalty and sales.
Risky, But Worth It
Taking a stand is not without risk: 53% of respondents indicate they stopped buying a brand because it did not meet their expectations regarding social responsibility. So if their beliefs aren’t aligned with the brand’s, no amount of messaging or content will keep young people engaged with that brand.
But in the ever-increasing competitive marketplace with today’s savvy young consumer, it’s not enough for brands to simply stay silent or hide from the issues affecting the world today.
TL;DR
Brands must take a stand…or risk being left behind.
Research & Editorial Team
Meredith Ferguson, Managing Director, DoSomething Strategic
Andy Tu, CMO, DEFY Media
Charlotte Horseman, Data and Research Analyst, DoSomething Strategic
Nichole Becker, VP, Research, DEFY Media
Irene Pedruelo, Editor, Director of Research , DoSomething.org
Methodology
Data was collected via an online survey distributed to individuals age 13–25 years old living in the United States. Removed from the analysis were individuals with completion times of less than 5 minutes and those younger than 13 years or older than 25 years.
Results have been weighted to create representations across gender, age, and parents’ education to match those reported by the U.S. Census Bureau. The final sample includes 1,334 observations. With an estimated U.S. population of 59 million 13–25 year olds, this sample size allows for a 2.7% margin of error at a 95% confidence level.
About DoSomething Strategic
DoSomething Strategic is the data-driven social impact consultancy arm of DoSomething.org. We help brands and organizations engage young people for positive social change. We combine proprietary data with a deep understanding of what young people care about to help clients build relationships with this unique demographic and activate them for social good. Our expertise is grounded in moving 6 million DoSomething.org members — ages 13–25 in every area code in the United States and in 131 countries worldwide — to take social action, and we’ve been doing this work successfully day in and day out for over 25.
About DEFY Media
DEFY Media is built on the idea that media should be as meaningful and dynamic as the audiences it’s made for, creating expansive and authentic content brands — Smosh, Screen Junkies, Clevver, AWEME, Break, and Made Man — that young people obsess over. Powered by in-house studios and the most adept talents and producers, DEFY has uniquely scaled its digital sensibility, expanding 75 regularly scheduled programs across more than 25 video platforms, including SVOD, television, and film. In a world where viewers hold the power, DEFY’s brands have earned more than 110 million followers on YouTube and the world’s largest social platforms combined, driving more than 800MM total video views each month through content that matters to young audiences.
