For many in the creative sector, the promise of working with brands is due to
their storytelling power and potential to drive new narratives — narratives
around belonging, sustainable futures, feminism, identity ... the list goes on.
Within the marketing landscape, the brightest minds flock — not to grow
businesses they don’t care about, but with the ambition to bring their
creativity and passion to drive positive change forward; using the influence,
power and platform of global brands to do so.
But what does driving change actually look like? And how can brands that want to
become more “purpose-driven” embrace this change, credibly?
Last month, I curated
a conversation at European conference
OnBrand, to learn more about this —
with Isabel Crabtree-Condor, Knowledge Broker at Oxfam; Ravi
Amaratunga Hitchcock, founder of Soursop; Alex Weller, Marketing
Director Europe at Patagonia; and Nadine de Ridder, founder of We Are
All Activists. Here are three key takeaways for marketers looking to stay
relevant in a changing world, and take a stand for good.
1. Challenging a narrative requires collective action
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While some brands might want to position themselves as “changing a narrative,”
Crabtree-Condor from Oxfam was quick to remind us that a single brand cannot
change a narrative. Narratives are complex, interwoven stories and
understandings about the world, she stressed; and though we all have a role in
shaping narratives, no one actor can drive this change alone.
Reminding brands to stay humble and leave their ego at the door, she emphasised
the importance of collective action.
“If you can accept that a cause isn’t something you can hijack or use to make
yourself more visible, then your starting point is radically different. It’s
important to remember that it's not about you; it's about collaborating with
others and contributing.”
2. Brands can play a pivotal role by supporting grassroots movements
Weller, when reflecting on how Patagonia continues to “get it
right,”
stressed the importance of making a long-term commitment to an
issue
and working to understand where and how their resources as a brand can make a
difference.
Reflecting on Patagonia’s approach to supporting The Blue Heart of
Europe — the last untamed rivers
left on the continent — he outlined that the first step was consultation with
civil society organizations and those already at the forefront of change. He
shared:
“As a large company, it requires a lot of sensitivity to support people who
have made it their life’s work to generate positive change. So, before anything,
our role is to gain a deep understanding of what those on the frontlines are
going through and what they want to achieve — and then ask ourselves: What is
the unique thing we can bring or do to increase the chance of success?”
3. Change starts with changing your business model
Brands must ask themselves, and be prepared to have an honest answer to, the
question: “Why pursue ‘activism’ in the first place?” de Ridder stressed. She
noted that while many are eager to claim the position of ‘brand
activist,’
they’re not willing to pay the price that comes with it. She asserted:
“There may be praise and approval; but also
resistance,
lack of recognition,
backlashes
and ‘canceling.’ How many brands are truly willing to make this sacrifice to be
able to support their claim of wanting to change the world for good?"
Noting the inherent dichotomy between advertising and activism, the conversation
quickly turned to reimagining business models. de Ridder dove straight to the
heart, expressing her dismay at what she perceives as an inability for most
companies to redesign their business to find an authentic place for activism.
Weller echoed this sentiment, saying: “Capitalism is fundamentally broken. As
long as businesses serve one predominant
objective,
which is to deliver value to shareholders or to accelerate the growth of their
business in order to sell, then everything that follows behind that is
subservient to that need.”
Brand activism — an urgent call to action
Gone are the days when a faint promise to “do good” would cut it; the game has
clearly changed and the stakes are higher than ever. And with this new landscape
comes new expectations. As consumers, we want transparency; the ability to peel
behind the layers of a company and see long-term commitment to a cause — not
just a new “campaign.”
There are countless studies to back up this shift in expectation: The 2019
Edelman Trust
Barometer
is just one of these — confirming that 64 percent of consumers want brands to do
more on societal issues; while 76 percent say that CEOs should take the lead on
change, rather than wait for the government to impose it.
Clearly, there are many ways a brand can make a difference; it just requires
commitment, vision and bravery. At a time when we’re facing multiple crises all
at once — not to mention, we’re living in the midst of a global pandemic — the
need for brands, and the private sector at large, to play a role in creating a
better future has never been more urgent. In fact, that future quite literally
depends on it.
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Lucy von Sturmer is founder of global non-profit Creatives for Climate — a network of 40,000 professionals driving climate action at work — and CEO of award-winning communications consultancy The Humblebrag.
Published Dec 4, 2020 7am EST / 4am PST / 12pm GMT / 1pm CET