Brand Activism: Is it different than CSR?
Snap back to the year 2017 when Virat Kohli turned down a multi-million endorsement deal for a soft drink brand. The sports star did not believe in endorsing something he was not consuming personally.
What the Indian captain decided had in it sparks of ‘activism’ leading to an even deeper trust with his millions of followers and fans. Somewhere out there, a young child wanting to emulate the star player was also more likely to follow a healthier lifestyle as a result.
What Virat Kohli did may have been his personal choice; but brands across the globe are increasingly adopting a similar ‘activist’ policy. 76% of consumers in a recent research poll admitted that they were less likely to purchase from a brand which acted contrary to their beliefs.
Smart brands and enterprises have been quick to correlate this trend focusing on brand activism. Brand activism is what ensures a communion of profitability and ethics. Brands are today engaging head on various social, economic, political and environmental issues as per their core beliefs or vision of the brand.
The brand continuing with its anti-plastic policy can decide to change all its packaging to recycled paper or cardboard and replace plastic bags with recycled paper bags. This way it shows consumers how the brand walks the talk and is serious about any initiative it undertakes.The brand as a result not only becomes a leader in its ‘no plastic’ initiative, it also stands tall from amid the competition with an increased customer loyalty base.
Social, economical or environmental problems need a solution. Brand activism helps consumers to trust the brand. Essentially brand activism is acting as a paradigm shift moving away from just positioning products better than rivals— something that worked in the traditional marketing environment.
CSR has paved the way for brands to go the ‘activist’ way adopting brand activism as its path to walk the talk on issues that matter to the brand and its consumers.
What the Indian captain decided had in it sparks of ‘activism’ leading to an even deeper trust with his millions of followers and fans. Somewhere out there, a young child wanting to emulate the star player was also more likely to follow a healthier lifestyle as a result.
What Virat Kohli did may have been his personal choice; but brands across the globe are increasingly adopting a similar ‘activist’ policy. 76% of consumers in a recent research poll admitted that they were less likely to purchase from a brand which acted contrary to their beliefs.
Smart brands and enterprises have been quick to correlate this trend focusing on brand activism. Brand activism is what ensures a communion of profitability and ethics. Brands are today engaging head on various social, economic, political and environmental issues as per their core beliefs or vision of the brand.
Brand activism – a natural progression of CSR
Being fence sitters or being content with just their corporate social responsibility (CSR) roles does not seem to impress the new age consumers. Brand activism is seen as a natural progression to CSR in a more definite and tangible manner. For example an FMCG company may choose to call for increasing consumer awareness by calling for use of recycled paper and doing away with plastic bags. The traditional CSR way would mean education and spreading awareness about the pitfalls of plastic to its consumers, or helping communities set up paper recycling plants.
The brand continuing with its anti-plastic policy can decide to change all its packaging to recycled paper or cardboard and replace plastic bags with recycled paper bags. This way it shows consumers how the brand walks the talk and is serious about any initiative it undertakes.The brand as a result not only becomes a leader in its ‘no plastic’ initiative, it also stands tall from amid the competition with an increased customer loyalty base.
Social, economical or environmental problems need a solution. Brand activism helps consumers to trust the brand. Essentially brand activism is acting as a paradigm shift moving away from just positioning products better than rivals— something that worked in the traditional marketing environment.
CSR has paved the way for brands to go the ‘activist’ way adopting brand activism as its path to walk the talk on issues that matter to the brand and its consumers.
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