Sports and entertainment: a brand's most direct path to culture and purpose

In our emerging era of meaning and purpose for brands, almost every marketer trying to keep pace with culture can feel like they’re behind

There’s a shift in motion, from established corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices towards true brand citizenship. The status quo was typically a statement of values; the changing means building around purpose and innovating tactics that drive tangible impact. But if the ultimate goal is to be a responsible brand citizen among the various communities who support your brand, you have to give where they need it – and it needs to manifest in action.

That’s why I believe brand citizenship is simply a purposeful brand’s integrity: Do you do what you say you do? Do you support your stated values through clear action?

It’s a lack of integrity that creates the headlines we see around missteps. We know by now that there’s a wrong way to be a brand citizen, and we also know that brand citizenship is essential to progress for communities. Good news: That means we can define a right way to do it.

The right way is to create value around what communities care about, and we can’t pretend we don’t know what they want. Though their needs change like everything else, they’re constantly telling us their expectations, loud and clear...

● 81% of millennials expect their preferred companies to make public declarations of corporate citizenship (Nielsen).

● 72% of Gen Z consider racial equality to be the most important issue today, 64% say gender equality and 48% say sexual orientation equality (Barkley and Futurecast)

● 70% of younger Millennials are more likely to choose one brand over another if that brand demonstrates inclusion and diversity in terms of its promotions and offers

All these issues are at the heart of culture. So why hesitate to dive into the space where the world is tuned in?

The fact is: sports and entertainment create cultural moments not seen in other forums – different communities gather around and consume at the same time, in real-time, the stories and moments that set the discussion around culture and progress.

That’s why anyone speaking to purpose needs to impact culture, and any brand looking to connect with culture should explore how to make sports and entertainment both a catalyst and an amplifier.

There are three strategies you can employ to guide your way to the epicenter of culture...

Put the “active” in activism

First, become active in change by strategically living in the spaces that are driving water cooler conversation around pop culture and social change simultaneously. Get off the sidelines and get on the field – perhaps literally. And know that all causes and needs can be supported through your involvement in sports and entertainment; that doesn’t always mean social justice, though that focus leads conversations today, and rightfully so.

This means doing more than creating a “donation campaign.” Be present in your cause and work hard to make a meaningful impact. Have your efforts live throughout your entire organization by getting your employees, customers, and partners involved. Use your high impact partnership assets to raise awareness of a cause and highlight how everyone can help. This shows you sacrificing traditional brand assets to make a difference – and earns respect.

Rethink impact-based solutions

2020 made clear that people recognize the difference between intent and impact. And if you want to make impact, you have to move first.

Don’t wait to be popular to be a contributor. Move when you can make a difference, and that usually means doing what hasn’t been done yet. This is a strategic risk, but this era demands leaders, and leaders embrace discomfort.

Set a bold goal on how you are going to help the cause or issue. Have the goal sit independent from how it helps your brand and business. There may be areas where you put your brand secondary and the cause first, sacrificing early attribution for more amplification and thus more success in helping solve the issue. The attribution to your brand will come later, if you’re authentic in your mission and work to solve a need.

Have a plan to earn permission

Earning permission is a matter of consistency in your convictions, and work at all levels to make change. Work at the sponsorship level to Be Known; show a reason-to-be and community call-to-action to Be Understood; then, ultimately Be Loved in grassroots communities who grant permission for connection.

Take an internal look at your brand, its history, products and services to better focus on causes where fans will be inclined to grant you permission to provide support. Realize that it will take time to earn the permission from the customers, and they will want to know what your impact goals are and see real results.

You can be loved for your purpose, but that will come to life through action – and any glance or social media or dinner table conversation will tell you that the real action is happening on fields, on stages and in our changing live experiences. For brands, this means shouting from the sidelines is no longer an option.

By JD Lubenetski, senior vice president, Wasserman