The intersection of politics and branding is ripe this year. From legal action against President Trump’s executive orders to numerous Super Bowl ads, many brands have chosen to take a stance in the current political climate. In particular, Trump’s order to ban travel from seven Muslim countries spewed uproar across the world last week. While several brands garnered positive attention for showing solidarity with those affected, Uber suffered as #DeleteUber trended on social media channels and consumers began to question the brand’s position. Personal politics aside, this is a good opportunity to reflect on recent consumer research and summarize key takeaways for your brand.
1. Consumers expect you to take a stand.
Research shows that we live in a time where consumers are increasingly distrustful of the government. Over half (57 percent) of Americans say that they’re frustrated with the federal government and only 19 percent say that they can trust the government always or most of the time. Consumers are instead relying on businesses to utilize their power and capital to help support causes they care about. Recent studies show that 84 percent of Americans believe that businesses have a responsibility to bring about social change on important issues, just after the president (89 percent) and congress (92 percent).
This trend, while led by millennials, is present across all consumers. In fact, 78 percent of millennials and 74 percent of the general population think more companies should take a stand on important social issues. This recent data further validates that consumers today see the brands they use as more than just products, but as…