The Pros and Cons of Aligning Campaigns to Political Views or Social Causes

Although brands kept their distance from anything political in the past, in recent years it has become more commonplace for companies to get behind a cause or even a candidate. For some, such as Ben & Jerry’s, political activism has become part of their core values and brand mission.

 

We applaud those companies that authentically stand for meaningful issues outside their industry. Along those lines, our team is more likely to do business with partners and others who align with our beliefs.

 

In the U.S., where the presidential election is just around the corner, avoiding exposure to the many heated discussions is impossible. Here are some thoughts on the pros and cons of tying campaigns to political views, current events, or social causes.

- Be Authentic: If you want to include a politically- or socially-themed message in your campaigns, whether advertising, programmatic, email, social, PR, or something else, be sure it authentically represents your company's genuine values. The messages you deliver must align with your company’s stated mission, and words alone aren’t enough. Actions speak louder than words. For example, a brand that fervently supports social justice could establish a program for aiding marginalized communities and bringing new opportunities to those who might not otherwise be exposed to them.  

 

Before moving forward, conduct internal and external surveys to understand how employees and customers feel about the issue you plan to embrace. Undoubtedly, if you have reached the point where a campaign is under consideration, your brand has already devoted support to this issue at some level.

 

After the study results are in, analyze the feedback and use the results to set stakeholder expectations. As you move forward, consider adding a personal touch by having your message attributed to a leader of your company – someone with the passion and commitment to be the chief evangelist behind your message.

 

While some customers may admire your company for taking a stand, others may stop buying from you if they disagree with your opinion. Be prepared to handle any negative blowback and respond positively to those who may disagree with your stated opinion. Consider that there may also be just as many among your audience experiencing political fatigue and will tune out any political message, regardless of whether they agree.

 

- Be Timely: Tying your campaigns to a recent event may present an opportunity to rally your customers and prospects and promote your brand in a positive light (such as generating or matching donations to provide aid for a recent natural disaster.) But be mindful that you’ll need to move fast while the event is still fresh in everyone’s mind, or you may miss the window of opportunity. In addition, your audience may also misinterpret your campaign in unexpected ways, such as when Spirit Airlines referenced an oil spill in its communications, only to learn that many interpreted its message as making light of a severe environmental disaster. (Lesson: never use humor when communicating serious events or issues.)

 

- Be Thoughtful: Businesses have long supported charities and social causes to generate loyalty with customers and prospects. Recent studies show that charitable donations can increase sales and boost your brand reputation. While there are seemingly causes with no downside (such as supporting the Special Olympics), there are just as many that can paint a company into a political corner and potentially offend a specific population of customers. Communications around noble causes can also be mishandled, such as when the World Wildlife Fund tried to draw attention to a devastating tsunami but did so by comparing it to the 9/11 disaster, offending many.

 

The bottom line? Be authentic to your corporate mission and purpose. If committing to a campaign with political or social messages attached to it is backed by your leaders, stakeholders, employees, and many of the customers you serve, then take the next step – prepare to launch. Remember, it will take wisdom and courage to get it right. That’s why choosing a thoughtful and impassioned leader to guide you is essential.

 

If doubts exist and key stakeholders are hesitant, you may need to do more internal work before embarking on your plans. All decisions related to these types of endeavors must be carefully considered.

 

At OMI, we stand ready to assist you in targeting and scaling out your omni-channel campaigns to connect with real people and the right people. Reach out to our team for a no-charge consultation.