I'm going to dispense with the customary recap of the recent blowback against Bud Light, Target and Chick-Fil-A and go straight to some hard data and its consequences.
The data: a few slides from The Edelman 2023 Trust Barometer.
One: People want brands to be overtly ideological. 63% select brands based on their communicated beliefs.
Two: People want brands to be ideological activists. Respondents were 5 to 7 times more likely to fault business for not doing enough to tackle societal issues.
Three: People will not cross tribal lines. 80% of respondents who feel strongly about an issue are not willing to live in the same neighborhood or have as a co-worker someone they strongly disagree with.
The consequences: good luck threading that needle brands. For those of you hoping to market to segments with conflicting ideologies, there’s only one way forward:
1. Pick a non-controversial ethical platform. There are still a few out there.
2. Devote enough resources to it to create a barrier. A demonstrated commitment to one cause helps deflect demands to advocate for other (controversial causes).
3. Pivot to Product Marketing. The design for quality and the high-status that accompanies a premium product transcends ideology.