Consumers are increasingly looking for authentic and transparent brands, demanding that what the latter do and say meets what they themselves stand for. Essentially, they value brands and organizations that deliver definite messages and advocate their views. According to a Sprout Social study, “66% of respondents feel it’s important for brands to take a public stance on leading social and political issues.”
Gone are the days when brands tried to please as many customers as possible and limited themselves to a neutral position; Today, it is essential that they know what topics to engage in, when, where and how. As the article Why and How Brands Should Leverage Social Issues to Market Better points out, “Being absent from these important discussions will likely mean lost business for brands who wish to remain neutral and quiet in the face of upcoming political storms.”
In conclusion, consumers tend to rely more on an organization when it speaks to key issues that are important to society, adding that these “Consumers are unforgiving about their expectation for companies to join the public discourse on subjects like immigration, reproductive rights, environmental issues, and politics.”