By Tanvi Shah
Woke
A wonderful term
originating from a political African-American movement, refers to an awareness
and alertness of social injustices. Popularised by social media in the recent
times, the term now encompasses a state of being awakened, being conscious.
Our current
socio-political environment coupled with ease of communication has led to a
worldwide shift towards people expecting not just communities and governments
but also large corporations to take a more active role towards environmental
and social issues pertaining to them. For brands, this means aligning the
brands’ values to those of the consumers’. Because, a 2018 Edelman (a Brand Strategy Consultancy) survey found that 69% of millennials worldwide are belief-driven buyers. Even though first world countries are leading this wave, it is still significant for India.
Enter the concept of
‘woke brands’.
Brands are
increasingly tapping into consumer-held social values to build resonance with
consumers and make way into their repertoires. We are seeing a rise of woke
branding across categories positioning themselves as ‘woke’ through their
stance on social issues, environmental responsibility and sustainable practices.
But it’s not always
that simple. Cultures are seeing more extreme divisions today within the
socio-political context than ever before and offence taking is rampant. The
rise of far-right leadership globally is being attributed to the voice of the
mass majority whilst leftist ideologies seem to be concentrated towards the
younger, urban elite. So where should brands stand? Does taking a stance on
issues pertaining beyond your business put you in a position of risking
alienation of a certain audience?
Last year, Nike was at
the centre of this division of sentiment when it decided to sign Colin
Kaepernick on as a brand ambassador, taking a direct shot at NFL and supporters
of its response. However, contrary to predictions, the brand’s stock rose and
hit a record high in the aftermath. Essentially, the ‘risk’ paid off.
When choosing sides,
it has proven to be wiser for brands to lean towards liberal values simply
because it is the side with higher spending capacity and social currency.
Ariel’s #sharetheload
campaign about gender roles and Whisper’s #likeagirl are some of the many
campaigns that were met with great praise for attempting to change the
incumbent discourses in these categories. Tata Tea took it a step further with
the Jaago Re campaign by extending it to an initiative that pushes the idea of pre-activism
in the age of reactive internet activism.
The fashion industry
which is quickly waking up to being seen as one of the biggest environmental
villains is seeing an exponential rise of brands supporting organic textiles
and reviving waning crafts. Even fast fashion retailer Asos has introduced a
sustainability filter for the conscious consumer.
We, at VGC - the best branding agency in India, have had the opportunity to work
with a truly ‘woke’ brand, 360Life. In the real estate industry, which suffers
from a lack of brand purpose, 360Life breaks the clutter and makes a dent.
Stemming from a
foundation of deep knowledge about Vedic practices, natural living, sustainability,
and engineering, the intention of the brand is to lead the wave for holistic
living. This is provided through curation of vertical forestry to promote
living in harmony with nature, architectural planning to harness and optimise
the flow of sunlight and wind, access to chemical free organic food, FMCG
products and alkalinised water supply as well as employment of ancient Vedic
rituals to energise and elevate the physical environment. 360 Life brings to
life a proposition of ‘conscious living’.
However, brands need
to tread carefully with their attempt to be seen as ‘woke’ as consumers are
quick to call out brands seen as gimmicky.
Cadbury’s unity bar was
met with mixed responses despite marrying product features with a neat intent. And
then there are glaring oversights.
Pepsi was met with great criticism post its
ad with Kendall Jenner breaking the tension between protestors and authorities
by offering a Pepsi. The brand ultimately took down the ad within 24 hours and
issued a public apology for its short-sightedness and commercialization of a
serious movement.
Similarly, the
successful Gully Boy received slack for trivialising and appropriating the
‘Azadi’ slogan from student protests in Delhi to create a pop culture anthem.
Essentially, ‘woke
washing’ does not work. People see through the facade and today, it’s easier to
mobilise public disdain than ever before. Between getting it right and trying
but missing the mark is a brand’s appetite to take risks.
As the best branding agency in India, we believe authenticity has been
a buzzword in the branding world for a few years. But its consideration becomes
increasingly important with everyone jumping on the ‘woke branding’ wagon.
Brands need to go back to their DNA. Instead of looking outward, it’s the time
to look inward and be true to one’s own core. In times of high competition and
dropping loyalties, brands need to be willing to take risks and mark allegiance
with a value-driven consumer base.
Also, limiting one’s ‘wokeness’
to communication without consideration of actions across business operations is
rather unauthentic and brands are liable to get exposed. It is important to
walk the walk before you talk the talk. And so, the journey to becoming a woke business
is inward really. Whilst most businesses are still on step 1, the future
belongs to those who evolve from step 1 to 3.
- Take a stance through communication to make a deeper connection with the audience
- Integrate responsible actions across your business activities
- Develop businesses that stem from a conscious intent – actively play a role in addressing a social or environmental issue
And so, we, a Brand Strategy Consultancy, leave you with
3 questions:
- What are issues & social values that your consumers care about?
- What are core values that you stand for?
- How can you align yourself with your consumers’ values to form lasting relationships?
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