Immediately after the shocking assassination attempt on US presidential candidate Donald Trump last month, search engine giant Google has run into trouble. The reason? A technical problem with the autocomplete function.
Search terms related to the assassination seemed to be omitted from the automated suggestions in Google's search bar. Conservative social media users quickly joined in: accusatory the technology giant of political bias and energetic censorship.
These allegations turned out to be unfounded – a content moderation feature was responsible – but they were under no circumstances recent. Many technology firms, including Google, have long been perceived as left-wing.
But definitely not all of them. Elon Musk, CEO of X (formerly Twitter) and the electrical automotive manufacturer Tesla, recently announced his unconditional support for Trump, who in turn declared his own support for electric vehicles.
Political engagement is nothing recent for brands and goes far beyond technology firms. It can range from taking a stand on essential societal issues to supporting individual parties or candidates.
But it will not be clear whether participation in “brand activism” actually helps firms Overall, in order that many marketers and managers hesitant to do that.
Taking a stand on issues that matter to consumers can obviously help construct stronger brand loyalty, but what happens when a brand's political beliefs don't align with those of its customers?
The risks of a political
Our previous Research found that customers’ political affiliation—whether or not they classify themselves as liberal, conservative, or somewhere in between—can influence their attitudes toward activist brands.
Much of that is what you’d expect. Liberal-leaning consumers are likely to like brands that promote progressive causes, reminiscent of supporting immigration. Conservative consumers, then again, generally like brands which might be silent on or against progressive issues.
Julia Nikhinson/AP
However, each liberal and conservative consumers dislike brands whose standpoint doesn’t seem authentic. This is a warning to brands that will attempt to “jump on the bandwagon” and stage-manage a selected social cause.
Always mean what you say
Brands that attempt to operate on each side of the political spectrum on a selected social or political issue can find yourself alienating everyone.
Last yr, the American beer brand Bud Light faced a Counter-reaction from the Conservatives after hiring transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney to advertise the brand. Conservative consumers quickly attacked Mulvaney on social media and boycotted the brand in response to the campaign.
But in the next years, Bud Light criticized because they didn’t support Mulvaney, who said The company didn’t offer her any support following the backlash. This cost it a few of its liberal customer base in addition to.
Build a meaningful connection
Our research shows that while it might help brands if their public stance on a problem aligns with the political beliefs of their goal customers, they need to also reveal that this greater than lip service.
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Ben & Jerry's ice cream, for instance, enjoys a loyal following amongst liberal-minded millennials and Generation Z. The brand can be a vocal advocate for several progressive issues, reminiscent of climate protection, refugee rights and racial justice.
The company has develop into known for its activism and has been largely rewarded by consumers, despite recent tensions with its parent company Unilever.
Ben & Jerry’s Working for racial justicehas, for instance, published detailed statements and motion plans on what it believes can be needed for real societal change.
When done right, consistent alignment of views across a brand's public “persona” can create a deep sense of brand name pride amongst consumers and a stronger identification with the brand's values.
Stand with conviction
A brand's public stance should authentically reflect its core values, not conform to the spirit of the times. Brands that reveal such conviction are sometimes rewarded.
In 2018, Nike supports Civil rights activist and former football player Colin Kaepernick and his stance on Black Lives Matter with the campaign “Believe in Something”. The move got here despite fierce backlash from conservative consumers and then-US President Donald Trump.
An initial backlash and fear of a boycott caused Nike’s share price to fall. But the corporate stuck to the campaign, its share price soon recovered and Sales increased.
If you may't be authentic, don't be anything
Our research suggests that brands without an authentic position on a social issue are higher off not taking sides. If a brand is seen as Flip flop on a subject, there may be a risk of alienating everyone.
Brands should absolutely feel encouraged to take social and political stances that align with their underlying vision and mission, but when issue-related support doesn't truly align with the brand's image – and isn't reflected in meaningful actions – it risks coming across as insincere, so it might be higher to stay silent.
image credit : theconversation.com