Corporate Social Activism: When and How to Get Involved
Corporate Social Responsibility vs Corporate Social Activism
It has been a few decades since CSR, or Corporate Social Responsibility, began to take hold in the western hemisphere. The idea that businesses must create a form of social impact for the communities they serve is now considered less a differentiation of a company’s strategy and more a requirement. That businesses are no longer viewed as entities separate from society has led every conscientious brand, especially in the highly visible B2C sector, to incorporate at least some CSR initiatives into their agenda. This includes making commitments to reducing carbon footprint, improving labor policies, eliminating the gender pay gap, sourcing from sustainable producers, supporting fair trade, and creating economic growth in developing countries. But in recent days since the protests against racial inequality and police brutality took place in the US, it has become clear that companies are now participating in something far more radical than CSR. What was once thought of as impossible is now happening: brands are making political statements.
CSR’s goals are widely accepted as inherently universal truths involving ethics and morality. Who can argue with charitable causes, sustainability, and eliminating poverty in developing countries? It is a different story with what I shall refer to as Corporate Social Activism. Embedded in political activity are no longer questions of ethics, but ones of ideology. Where CSR is embodied in social impact, CSA finds itself entering the realm of social activism. In a highly polarized and fragmented society such as the one we live in, taking a political stand and engaging in social activism means supporting one ideology and one party over another. We can certainly see how this could become a breeding ground for controversy and contention not seen through traditional corporate social responsibility measures.
Is Politics Good for Business?
The short answer is: it depends. The years of political turmoil and social division after the 2016 elections have proven to be a hotbed for increased corporate social activism. The risks are very high: brands can suffer backlash, alienate customers and employees, and get accused of profit-seeking and infantilizing important social issues. Such is the case of the infamous Pepsi ad featuring supermodel Kendall Jenner. If done correctly, however, getting involved in social activism can boost a brand’s reputation, increase brand loyalty, and even generate more sales. This has been done most successfully by Nike’s collaboration with Colin Kaepernick. So the question now is: should brands get involved in political rhetoric, and if so, how can they craft a marketing strategy rooted in social activism that is ultimately good for business?
Should Your Company Participate?
It is no doubt that brands today are cultural agents; they shape trends and create narratives about their customers. For that reason, there is an increasing expectation that brands must make clear where they stand on political and social issues. However, speaking out on too many issues obfuscates the consumer’s perception of the brand identity. At the same time, not speaking out at all during moments of social and political tension may be a missed opportunity to strengthen a brand’s presence within its community.
To make the decision to become an advocate of a social or political cause, brands must first assess if such activities are consistent with their brand identity. That assessment may be contingent on the nature of the brand’s products or services: do the company’s business activities have a direct relationship or intended consequence on said cause? If yes, it may not only be wise, but absolutely necessary, to issue a statement.
It becomes a more complicated story if the brand’s business activities are largely unrelated to that social cause. In that case, it is imperative to take a closer look at the company’s core customers and stakeholders. Do they value that type of social activism? Are they themselves taking part in the cause? Would it create intangible value for them? Will it boost employee morale and cultivate a sense of pride internal to the organization? The answers that probe into each stakeholder’s value system are an indication and framework for thought and must be directly proportional to the brand’s willingness to engage in controversial topics.
A Framework for Engaging in Corporate Social Activism
Today’s consumers are educated, opinionated, and highly informed. They are closely watching what brands are doing and saying, and they are especially attuned to detect inauthenticity and insincerity. As such, it will be more important than ever to create messaging that is not only appropriate and tone-sensitive, but also memorable, unique, and consistent with the brand’s DNA.
Below are some key factors to consider when marketing a social or political cause:
Authenticity
Whether releasing a statement, donating to relevant organizations, or creating marketing content in support of a social cause, the key is authenticity. In a branding context, authenticity means communicating a message that is consistent with the brand’s reason to exist. Brands must craft a message that can be related back to the company’s mission and its identity. It cannot be a blanket statement that does not elaborate on the company’s specific role and relationship within in. How does the brand’s set of values fit in the context of social activism? How does the company directly or indirectly contribute to the reason for political engagement? Addressing questions of this nature will allow marketers to create messaging that is more organic in nature, and not manufactured in the form of inauthentic acquiescence to mounting pressure from stakeholders.
Tone
One of the most difficult tasks in a company’s involvement in social activism is knowing how to strike the right tone. Primarily, the message should not come off as a declaration of the brand’s moral righteousness. A tone resembling an all-knowing superiority will alienate people on both sides of the aisle because of its emptiness and lack of depth. Instead, the message should focus on delivering a tone of empathy, which manifests itself in genuine curiosity and willingness to change. Brands should invite customers to engage with them and be used as a resource to collectively come up with answers on how to perform better, both in the context of business and social activism. This type of empathy-driven messaging has a better chance of resonating with customers who disagree with the brand’s position, because it shows a willingness to listen and creates a platform for engagement.
Commitment
For many consumers, it’s simply not enough to issue a statement or donate to an organization as a gesture of solidarity with a social cause. They want to see real change affecting business and industry structures just as much as political and social ones. Brands must ask themselves: what commitment are we willing to take to truly embed the values we are advocating for in our brand’s identity? Commitment to change is only the beginning of a long journey towards meaningful and rewarding corporate social activism.
