Why Brands That Take a Stance on Social Issues Win With Consumers

For years, brands have stayed comfortably on the sidelines of social and political debates. Marketers have long avoided polarizing conversations that might alienate parts of their own customer base. And that’s worked — until now.

As heated political dialogues dominate consumer newsfeeds, silence from brands on social media can be louder than words. In fact, 88 percent of customersOpens a new window report they’d be more loyal to brands that support social and environmental causes. With customers increasingly expecting brands to align with their political beliefs, staying neutral is no longer an option.

Now, you’re at greater risk if you aren’t speaking to social movements or causes as a brand marketer. For example, Uber was criticizedOpens a new window for not taking a strong position on Trump’s 2017 travel ban, while its competitor Lyft took a much bolder one.

To a large extentOpens a new window , social media is host to many of these conversations. Since platforms like Facebook and Twitter are where brands can both listen to and engage with consumers, you have to craft your brand’s social media strategies with these discussions in mind.

You can’t make everyone happy

Before taking a stance, you need to understand that you’re not going to win over everyone. As with any decision your brand makes, you simply can’t please all consumers. But if you choose to stay silent, you’ll likely anger passionate customers on both sides of any discussion. **By trying to keep everyone happy, you’ll make no one happy**. What an effective strategy comes down to is listening to your strongest customer base and understanding how they are talking about current headlines.

Here’s what you should ask yourself:

• Who are your core consumers and target markets?
• What are they saying about the issues?
• What are your brand’s values and how do they align with your target consumers’ opinions?
   

The answers to these questions require a strategic Opens a new window approacOpens a new window hOpens a new window to social listening. Anyone with a Twitter account can weigh in on your brand’s stance on social issues, and rest assured that they most likely will. But a random internet “troll” looking to stir the pot is not the same as a loyal consumer who values your brand.

Sentiment analysis and data-backed social listening strategies can help you identify the consumers whose opinions are most critical to your brand and enable you to respond accordingly, so you’re not missing the mark with the people that matter most. A broad social media monitoring strategy isn’t targeted enough since you’ll be overwhelmed with noise from all over the spectrum.

Authenticity is key

Of course, an effectiveOpens a new window social strategy is not as simple as identifying the “right” stance to take and then falling in line. Consumers expect genuine commitments to social causes if a brand takes a stance. And if people perceive that brands are faking it for brownie points, these strategies can quickly backfire.

That means marketers must speak out for causes that actually resonate with brand values. Recently, media companies like Nickelodeon, Viacom, and MTV went dark for 17 minutes in support of #NationalSchoolWalkout and were applauded for their participation, especially as brands that serve primarily younger audiences. And Patagonia has shined in recent years as a brand committed to its message of environmental advocacy by not only communicating firm stances on specific issues but donating money to the causes it supports.

**Stand for issues that resonate with the values of your brand and avoid taking stances that may be perceived as hypocritical or condescending**. McDonald’s recently fell into this trap by flipping its arches at a California location to celebrate International Women’s Day – a move that opened the brand up to criticism for its handling of recent sexual misconduct charges as well as their inadequate maternity leave policies. In other words, you need to be prepared to walk the walk if you’re going to talk the talk.

Silos are the enemy

Of course, these conversations aren’t the sole responsibility of marketing. When taking bold stances on important issues, marketers should eliminate silos between departments and make decisions with stakeholders across the company. Share social listening insights across your company to make the most of your communications.

Ask: How does the C-Suite feel about these issues, and how they align with your brand? How about HR? These leaders have powerful insights that can inform more effective strategies when it comes to these conversations, and help prevent your brand from fumbling on social. Additionally, these issues provide strong opportunities for CEOs themselves to increase visibility and lead brands forward on important conversations.

The brands that can connect with customers on the political and social issues they are most passionate about will thrive. And social media is often the first touchpoint brands have when it comes to these conversations. It’s more important than ever to listen and understand your customers and provide genuine and thoughtful responses on the issues they care about.