“Finally, Brand Activism!” – Philip Kotler and Christian Sarkar
“Ethical Markets is proud to see the innovative work of our Advisory Board member Elsie Maio, CEO of Soul Branding recognized by our favorite marketing guru, Philip Kotler! Congratulations to both these pioneers. ~Hazel Henderson, Editor”
Historically, most brands have been marketed on their performance characteristics. “Our toothpaste is better than yours.” We’re better at “whitening teeth,” “preventing cavities,” or giving you “fresh breath.” Positioning is the name of the game in brand marketing.
But positioning is no longer enough in our highly competitive markets. Just consider marketing to millennials, one of today’s largest demographic groups. Millennials have high expectations for brands. Millennials live in a world filled with constant problems – air pollution, bad drinking water, crimes. Many would like brands to show concern not just for profits but for the communities they serve, and the world we live in. In fact, more and more, we see a yearning for jobs that have a higher meaning than profit-making.
The Body Shop was one of the first companies to broadcast its ethical values and beliefs. Its founder and CEO, Anita Roddick, not only wanted to make really fine skincare lotions but also care for “animal rights,” “civil rights,” “fair trade,” and “environmental protection.” Many Body Shop clients said they were mainly interested in her products but many more approved of her activism and often gathered to march together for the causes they shared.
Brand Activism: Progressive vs. Regressive
So what is brand activism? Wikipedia tells us:
“Activism consists of efforts to promote, impede, or direct social, political, economic, and/or environmental reform or stasis with the desire to make improvements in society. Forms of activism range from writing letters to newspapers or to politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing businesses, rallies, street marches, strikes, sit-ins, and hunger strikes.”
Using this definition as a starting point, we can envision a framework that allows a business to develop an activist strategy. We should be clear in saying that activism doesn’t have to be progressive; it can be regressive as well.