Why is Performative Activism Bad for Business?
“The only thing worse than no effort is fake effort.”
Authenticity is one of the most valuable assets your brand can possess.
And, there’s no time like the present to make it a priority. ⏱
With social issues at the fore of the public consciousness, there’s no question that you need to be aware of and sensitive to what’s going on. Personally and professionally.
Acting on that awareness can be something that elevates your company to a better place internally and in the eyes of your customers.
Even if you’ve arrived late to the party 🎉, you can still be acting from a place of real intention.
The changes you make, and the content you put out into the world, don’t need to be the first of their kind in order to have a legitimate impact.
But, beware, the bandwagon will only carry you so far.
No matter when you begin to make changes and speak up 🗣, your consumer base will only respond if you maintain these actions after the bandwagon’s wheels have fallen off.
Solidarity with a trending social issue is important, but only if you believe in it.
A half-hearted and vague response is a sign of being unsure where you stand on the topic.
While it would be concerning if the public looked solely to brands to direct their moral and social compasses, the same is true the other way around.
Your brand has to be able to look internally and decide where you stand on the social issues.
Evaluate your stance and what you want to do to support that position. 🤔
Aligning your views with the brand identity ensures that you won’t be caught out with your words contradicting your actions.
If you can be sure that you’re practicing what you preach without needing a trending topic to highlight it, you’ll be less likely to fall into the Amazon trap.
(It turns out, being a multi-billion dollar company with a huge social platform doesn’t play in your favour when your public face is at odds with your internal policies. Not a good look.)
Having a defined and consistent set of values that align with your brand purpose and public persona is the easiest way to avoid being called out for hypocrisy.
Every trending topic is an issue that persists even when it doesn’t get attention.
So, waiting to get called out and then improving will not grow trust towards your brand. Trust comes from authenticity, and authenticity comes from consistency.
It matters for your employees to know that they’re invested in a company that shares their beliefs.
For example, preaching diversity with a homogenous work force is as far from authenticity as you can get.
Before you make public statements, try to make sure any activism begins within your company. And keep it going.
If you want to learn more about how to maintain the authenticity of your brand and it’s purpose, check out our upcoming Goodvertising course!
