The answer is never neutral, and above all, once it’s given, it’s a safe bet that it no longer belongs to us. For it is subject to the judgement of the public, whether that public is hiding behind a screen or in the furrowed brow of Cathy, my neighbour across the landing. Opinions will never again be fleeting thoughts, which a good night’s sleep might have helped to clarify. Just like the adventurers led by Denis Brogniart on yet another so-called paradise island: the verdict is irrevocable, for the mind’s views are divisive and polarising.
Nevertheless, brands are increasingly being called upon to sit alongside citizens, and even politicians, and to join the debate. To do so, they must redouble their commitment in order to engage their various audiences.
En-ga-gement is the magic key of the moment: the engagement of staff, but also of consumers, who are no longer simply expected to buy a product, but also to embrace certain values.
The challenge is obviously complex, and the game a dangerous one (just like on Denis Brogniart’s show : you get me ?)
The Bud brand knows this all too well, given that it brews and sells beer… and entered into a partnership with Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender influencer, in the spring of 2023. In the days that followed, the drinks company was inundated with a torrent of hate, ranging from calls for a boycott to bomb threats, and its share price ended up suffering the biggest plunge of its history.
This ‘worst-case scenario’, which will long be studied in marketing schools, teaches us a fundamental lesson. When a brand wants to take a stand, it has only one question to ask itself: is this stance compatible with my DNA, and that of my consumers?
If it is insincere, merely declarative or rhetorical, it will quickly become apparent and have the opposite effect. Commitment is not fuelled by sporadic, opportunistic initiatives, but rather by a genuine understanding of its audiences, followed by sustained, authentic action alongside them (as Sephora did so brilliantly during Pride, reaffirming its commitment to its communities).
