Why Nike's move to play the fence works to their benefit
Why Nike's move to play the fence works to their benefit
How to do business in this politically charged environment
Consumer behavior has gone through a complete metamorphosis, especially in the 2000s. Once upon a time, marketers felt like their boss was the CEO of the company or brand that hired them. Nowadays customers’ opinions can outrank even the founders of companies.
Recommended Read: “When Controversy Sells or Sells Out ~ How to Win and Lose at Leveraging Controversy”
Some organizations shrug their shoulders and choose to stand on their own — whether their opinions are popular or not. Others believe staying in the loop is the only way to stay profitable. Meanwhile, marketing execs are either trying to maintain a company’s good name or trying to keep the company out of trouble.
Listen up! Customers have something to say
Do you want a celebrity face attached to your product? You better check out what the social media trending topics have to say about this person. Are you interested in donating a portion of your proceeds to a particular cause? It’s a good idea to see what reputable surveys and discussion boards have to say about that, too.
Sixty-six percent of respondents in a 2015 Nielsen survey said they were willing to pay more for products and services that come from companies who are committed to positive social and environmental impact — higher stats than 2014 (55 percent) and 2013 (50 percent).
Approximately nine out of 10 millennials were willing to switch brands to one that is associated with a cause, according to a 2015 Cone Communications Millennial CSR Study.
People Magazine even created a top 28 list for beauty brands that hope to appeal to customers’ humanitarian habits. These beauty brands donate funds for everything from dog adoption to child emergencies to breast cancer and voting.
On the surface, brands helping consumers become the activists that they want to be makes sense. It’s a win-win for the customer and the company. But what happens when a brand stands up for a cause or stands next to a public figure that a consumer does not support?