Last week we introduced the topic of pushing past fear to authentically and clearly communicate your brand’s values, discussing the power that fear holds over us and why, in actuality, fear is a liar. This week, we’re continuing the conversation, taking a deep dive into the “how” of pushing past fear to effectively message your brand’s mission.
Topics: B Corporation, Climate Change, Branding and Brand Value, Sustainability Marketing, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices, Climate and Social Justice
As a marketing agency we oftentimes experience our clients shying away from risk and being unwilling to put their values front and center despite those values being authentic to their brand.
After all, the fear of uncertainty leads us to seek out security, causing us to make decisions that are risk averse. Fear is a primal, base instinct that is intended to protect us from things as uncertain and heart pounding as the fear of failure.
But fear? For all its power and its hold over us, fear is a liar.
And with all the uprooting and life-altering events, milestones and discussions that occurred in 2020, and the years leading up to it, consumers are clamoring for the brands that they support to clearly take a stand for the causes and beliefs that impact them. The power of doing so has a number of both tangible and intangible positive benefits that vastly outweighs the risks posed by not acting out of fear.
A study from Accenture found that more than half of consumers who are disappointed with a brand’s words or actions (or lack thereof) on a social issue complain about it, with 47% walking away in frustration and 17% not coming back at all.
And the Edelman Trust Barometer recently found that “80% of consumers agree businesses must play a role in addressing societal issues; they want a company to take actions which... improve social conditions and make the world a better place."
This sentiment plays out in the real-world example of Lyft’s Cities Talk Back Campaign, which was brought to life as a follow up to additional actions Lyft took following former President Trump’s immigration ban in 2017, when he announced an immediate block on all refugees, while also denying U.S. entry to citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries.
When Uber failed to offer support in response to protests against the 2017 ban and received further significant negative attention from customers for the CEO’s role as an economic advisor to the former President, Lyft stepped up in a big way, despite the risks and fear of backlash from customers. The company donated $1 million to the ACLU and elevated the voices of those affected by the President’s actions.
The result? Lyft, for the first time ever, surpassed Uber in the Apple App store for downloads as customers deleted their Uber app and downloaded Lyft in droves.
Topics: Branding and Brand Value, Sustainability Marketing, Climate and Social Justice
As the calendar flipped from December to January, all of us at KSV did a little celebratory dance. Yes, a tough and chaotic year had come to an end, but we were celebrating for slightly different reasons: for our agency, the calendar flip meant a fresh look and a doubled-down commitment to fighting for a more sustainable existence through purpose-driven work and meaningful community partnerships.
Topics: Innovation, B Corporation, Clean Energy, Climate Change, Inspiration, Sustainability Marketing, Company Culture, Climate and Social Justice
Happy New Year!
Topics: Innovation, B Corporation, Clean Energy, Climate Change, Inspiration, Sustainability Marketing, Company Culture, Climate and Social Justice
The fight for a more sustainable future in the age of the coronavirus and Black Lives Matter has uncovered an important truth: protecting vulnerable communities is critical to taking action against climate change. It's long overdue, but going forward, brands looking to fight for climate change will need to ensure social justice is a component of their climate action plan.
Topics: B Corporation, Climate Change, Inspiration, Branding and Brand Value, Sustainability Marketing, In the News, Audience Segmentation, Climate and Social Justice
Back in January, we kicked off the year with the first installment of our 2020 Social Media Trends Series, diving into TikTok and Video. By April of this year, a lot had changed, and in the second installment of the series, we discussed two trends ("tribes" and the use of stories) to help make the most of social media in the age of the coronavirus.
Topics: B Corporation, Social Media Strategy and Best Practices, Climate and Social Justice
This week we’re giving our platform over to Anthea Kelsick, Co-CEO, B Lab U.S. & Canada, one voice of the millions of Black Americans that deserve to be heard and amplified. Read her article, Tackling Racism as Accountable Business Leaders, here.
Topics: B Corporation, Climate and Social Justice
As we mentioned last week, re-imagining a life and a world in the age of coronavirus presents a lot of unanswerable questions, yes, but also several opportunities. One those opportunities is the critical role clean energy and sustainability will play in reviving the economy and helping consumers adjust their behaviors and habits.
Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Utility Communications, Innovation, B Corporation, Clean Energy, Climate Change, Content Marketing, Inspiration, Branding and Brand Value, Energy Storage, Sustainability Marketing, Company Culture, Creative, In the News, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices, Climate and Social Justice
Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Innovation, B Corporation, Clean Energy, Climate Change, Content Marketing, Inspiration, Branding and Brand Value, Company Culture, Creative, In the News, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices, Climate and Social Justice
Consumers and communities are giving brands permission to lead in thinking about the new normal of a world with coronavirus. The burden of re-imagining a future, and offering solutions for a problem about which so much is still unknown, can be scary and overwhelming to navigate, especially for consumers that are already navigating so many unprecedented challenges. A new world that entails, among other things, working from home, staying healthy, parenting and schooling, new budgets, limited income sources, previous support lines cut and a new perspective about what is actually important in life.
Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Innovation, B Corporation, Clean Energy, Climate Change, Content Marketing, Inspiration, Branding and Brand Value, Company Culture, Creative, In the News, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices, Climate and Social Justice
