2020 has been horrible for a lot of reasons, but for a lot of people the last two weeks have been the longest year of their lives. For tens of millions of people, it’s been a celebration of a presidential election, and for tens of millions of others, not so much.
And in the middle of it all, brands are left trying to manage their social media presence and engage with consumers, which can be a complicated and dangerous thing to do. But it’s something that all brands have to do, because their consumers demand it.
Several studies highlight the fact that consumers demand that brands step up and play a role in addressing societal issues.
The reality is that consumers are no longer making purchase decisions based on price. They want to know what a brand stands for, and they are looking to those brands to see how they engage in the issues that are important to consumers.
And for those brands that don’t meet those expectations, losing a customer is the best you can hope for. The worst is having a backlash or crisis unfold, causing damage to your reputation and to your business.
If brands want to succeed, they need that support, which means they may need to take a stand and play an active role in these conversations.
Gap’s Intent vs Perception
You may have seen this headline, but Gap pulled a tweet this past Wednesday afternoon that called for political unity. Yes, Wednesday afternoon, in the middle of a contentious presidential election that didn’t have a clear winner, with many parts of the country on the brink of chaos.
The concept of unity is a great idea to be sure, but the timing of when to take a stand seemed to be lacking a bit.
But beyond that, the way they went about it has some real problems, and that’s what we’re addressing today.
If you haven’t seen the tweet, look it up, but it’s a Gap zip-up hoodie that’s blue on one side and red on the other, and of course a giant Gap logo across the front.
The tweet said, “The one thing we know is that together we can move forward.”
Again, a great concept and idea, but it drew quick backlash from a lot of celebrities and influencers.
Celebrities like Chrissy Teigen quickly posted comments calling the brand out for being tone-deaf. Teigen alone has 13.4 million followers on Twitter, and she was one of a several influencers who made comments.
To be clear, the idea of calling for unity is a great idea, and in my opinion more brands should be stepping up during a time like this.
But, what Gap did wrong was put their products front and center instead of their people or consumers.
Gap has since deleted the post, and they confirmed that the hoodie isn’t even a product for sale, but nevertheless, it looks like they are putting sales ahead of the cause they are pushing.
And that makes this look inauthentic and insincere.
Every Brand Has Missteps, So Prepare When You Take A Stand
Even the biggest brands have missteps, especially in this environment. We’re in an environment that most have never seen or experienced, but there are some core principles we can rely on.
Cause marketing is great, if it’s done the right way. And causes are all about people. Internal or external. Consumers or employees. Stakeholders or volunteers.
If brands want to support a cause, or step up, like consumers are demanding they do, they need to put people first.
This is an opportunity for every brand, large or small, to learn from Gap’s mistake.
The quick takeaway is that any brand that engages in these types of conversations to take a stand needs to understand that PEOPLE need to be front and center for these efforts, not hoodies, or whatever product or service you offer.
Let’s Get RADD
We’re still deep in the COVID-19 crisis, so don’t forget about the RADD plan to success: Recognize, Adapt, Develop, and Deploy. Check out our previous posts:
– Get RADD And Plan For Success Following Coronavirus Crisis
– Prepare for Success and Get RADD, Part 1: Recognize
– Finding Success By Getting RADD, Part 2: Adapt
– Get RADD, Part 3: Develop Plans For Success
– Deploying Your RADD Communications Plan
Here are some additional resources for your crisis planning efforts:
– There’s Still Time To Communicate During the Coronavirus Crisis
– Is Pitching Media A Good Idea During COVID-19?
– Internal Communications During A Crisis
– A Meaningful Message, Or Pandering Without Purpose
Be sure to follow us @TCStrategic on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
