Time for marketers to revisit advertising’s power to do good
Marketers and brands can no longer be content with just scratching the surface but need to walk the talk to become change-makers. Dhruv Warrior, national creative director of leading Indian digital agency FoxyMoron, feels that in the post-pandemic hyper-connected and hyper-aware society, the youth will increasingly shape and define the culture and brands have to remember that while making their marketing plans.
Authenticity – future of strong brands
The pandemic has truly redefined our world. As Covid 19 unleashed wave after wave of disaster on us, we were forced to lock ourselves away. And although life as we knew it came to a halt, something else was unlocked that is probably going to impact society, permanently.
At the heart of this remarkable evolution are the youth and the power of content. The undeniable fact, going forward, is that the youth will shape and define culture, shift how we interact with technology and how we engage with the world. A world that is very much driven and determined by content.
The pandemic accelerated certain changes in how we interact with technology, in our beliefs and value systems, and our livelihoods. The shift is widespread and is seen and felt across every aspect of life.
Changing world order
Take some of the most basic societal foundations. It’s easy to spot the transition in the way we learn, the way we are entertained, the way we take care of ourselves, the way we shop and the brands we endorse - all these things have changed. We are now a hyper-connected and hyper-aware society that is embracing a more holistic lifestyle and we expect brands to be more than just a product or service. And the drivers of these movements, the ones shaping the future (the youth) have a new value system that will challenge marketers to be different and to be better. Consumerism, as we know, has evolved.
A survey from Spotify’s illuminating Global Trends Report from 2020 revealed that 61% of Indian Gen Zs considered an education plan other than a degree immediately following higher secondary school.
“It should be no surprise that Zs are also rethinking how they enter the workforce. Many were in their formative years as their parents weathered the 2008 global financial crisis, and now they face an already disrupted economy - characterised by gig work, telecommuting and career shifts - further exacerbated by the pandemic.”
Engaging the Gen-Z and millennial consumers
Gen Z and millennials are a creator generation, unshackled and thriving under newfound independence that has been enabled by technology. The new connected lives have been improved in countless ways, but we face a new set of serious challenges (like work-life balance or finishing school/college) which has them questioning and reshaping traditional conventions. In fact, both generations are pushing for a more inclusive, multi-faceted culture. Diversity is welcome. Being different is truly embraced.
An important thing that advertisers, marketers, and brands, in general, have to understand in this changing world is that woke isn’t a trend. The only way for us to be change-makers is to be change-makers and not stop at simply scratching the surface.
Authenticity is no longer a choice
Conversations that have been simmering on the burner have finally come to a boil. The pandemic has revealed the cracks of a broken system and people are no longer willing to paper over them. Brands are expected to be sustainable, regardless of what their product is. Workforces are expected to be a representation of the real world where all are welcome, regardless of beliefs, background or gender. Authenticity is the true measure of a brand's worth. And it’s for the better of us all.
As we have seen time and again these issues are divisive and often invite wrath and ridicule, forcing brands to retreat and take a back step from issues that need to be discussed and highlighted. That often leaves a brand in a dangerous space, a limbo where you are ‘damned if you do and damned if you don’t’. To successfully navigate the minefield of opinions today is unbelievably hard but it is also incredibly rewarding.
Lessons from Nike and Levi’s playbook
The proof is out there. Look at iconic brands who have pitted their legacies against being trolled and trashed. In taking a stand and staying true to who they are, they have found success. For example, Nike’s contentious ‘Dream Crazy’ campaign triggered so many people that they burned their sneakers. Nike took a hit and saw their sales drop, retail chains stopped stocking their shoes and they were even pitted against a very popular Donald Trump. But Nike stood by what it believed in, and the world responded. Their stocks went from dropping by 3 per cent to increasing by 4 per cent. Their sales increased by 31 per cent and their brand value increased by 6 billion.
Levi’s has a bold new message for the fashionistas of the world. Shop once, shop less because it’s better for this planet. The message is directed at the destructive practices of the fashion industry at large that are laying waste to this planet, yet it resonates. At a product level, it’s banging on, espousing the one thing that defines Levi’s quality and longevity. From a cultural perspective, the message is in step with what the youth truly cares about. I don’t see anyone losing out here.
The truth is that when everyone involved is held to higher standards, be it celebrity, influencer, CEO or creator, we grow for the better. And one industry that’s in the business of reaching people in effective, remarkable and authentic ways is advertising. We have the power of doing good things. And that’s just better for us all.
The author is the national creative director of FoxyMoron, part of the India-based Zoo Media group.