TD Bank locked in a 20-year naming rights extension this month with Boston’s TD Garden arena, home to the Bruins, the Celtics and hundreds of mega entertainment events each year. From a marketing perspective, awareness is the obvious play here. But it’s one tactic out of many that supports community-building in specific markets.

“Our brand health is incredibly strong as a result of the fact that we are actually present in the community,” TD Bank CMO Tyrrell Schmidt told Chief Marketer. “And community is core to what we do from a sponsorship perspective.”

In addition to the naming rights, TD has a slew of activations and incentives designed to connect with fans and locals, including $15 million toward community programs, TD-themed events, concession discounts and rewards, and more. We spoke with Schmidt about the sponsorship, digitization of the customer experience, how the brand is using CTV to drive consideration in local markets and its overall strategy for growth.

Chief Marketer: What are the strategic marketing goals of continuing with the naming rights for TD Garden?

Tyrrell Schmidt, CMO at TD Bank: We extended our marquee sponsorship of both the TD Garden as well as Boston Bruins for a further 20 years through an early renewal. It kicked off in 2005, so it’s a 40-year partnership, which we think is historic for sponsorship. It solidifies our commitment to the Boston community and retains the beloved Garden name, which is something that we brought back to Bostonians in 2005.

There’s a lot of passion around that. It also gives us critical opportunities to engage with our customers, with our fans and with our communities, which are important stakeholder groups for both organizations. We have alignment in terms of strategic priorities, how we bring this to market, and who we bring it to market for. It also gives us an opportunity to be part of the fabric of the community, to drive engagement through our shared passion around two of the winningest teams in sports, and from a TD perspective, it gives us great visibility for our brand throughout our footprint.

CM: What are the KPIs for this partnership?

TS: Sponsorship is an important part of our overall marketing mix. Firstly, it can be very local. We have over 750 local partnerships and sponsorships, and they all tend to meet the objective of driving brand and allowing us to engage with our customers, because sponsorship is one of those ways that you can come into contact with your customers. That’s critically important when we think about the TD Garden. We know that our brand health is incredibly strong as a result of the fact that we are actually present in the community. And community is core to what we do from a sponsorship perspective.

Through this deal, as an example, we will give $15 million back to local communities in and around Boston, which is important as we think about our community focus, about diversity and inclusion, and bringing our brand to multiple different segments across these communities. It allows us to deepen our business relationships. An example is our small business takeover, where we share our [ad] space for a night with a small business. Someone who we have a partnership or a relationship with will really benefit from that type of awareness and visibility.

We’ll also invest in what we call Access the Arts. One program under that is called TD Guest List, which gives complimentary tickets to events all year to groups that are nominated or individuals from an underserved or an underrepresented community. We also have the TD Garden House Artist program that commissions local artists from underrepresented communities to create transformative art in and around the TD garden.

CM: Can you talk a bit about your cause marketing strategy?

TS: Firstly, we don’t really think of it as cause marketing. We think about it as delivering on our purpose. And our purpose is around enriching the lives of our customers, our colleagues and our communities. We have a program that we call the Ready Commitment that serves to guide where and how we support our communities. For example, [with] diversity and inclusion, it’s making sure that we are building an inclusive future for all—things like housing for everyone. Giving access in communities where they might not have the same access to banking and banking products is critical to what we do in our communities. And sponsorship is just one way to do that, but it is a deeply-held belief at TD, holistically, that we are here to enrich their lives. That’s more than just selling products and services; it is about making sure that we are building that inclusive and sustainable future for all.

CM: How did the pandemic shift your marketing tactics?

TS: We’re in a rapidly changing world and environment. That is something we always pay attention to. We know that community needs change. We understand that consumers’ needs and expectations of banks and of other companies evolve regularly. Our customers tell us that they are looking for ease, for value and for advice.

From an advice perspective, 40 percent of consumers say that they are financially worse off than they were a year ago. We believe that we have a role to play there. That ties back to our brand, of being unexpectedly human and understanding that behind every transaction our customers have with us, there’s a story. That is what makes TD differentiated in the market: our focus on the human behind the story. We believe that people matter most.

One other important proof point around what’s changed is this: Consumers want to be able to access you when, where, and how they want to. Especially over the pandemic, when overnight everyone was doing banking online, we made sure that we were bringing our human proposition to bear, no matter how people interact with us. It’s not just in the person-to-person interactions.

CM: Following up on that idea, digital transformation has been necessary for most companies in the past few years. How are you digitizing the customer experience?

TS: We are looking at the digital experience, but looking at it within the context of an omnichannel experience. We know that consumers have different needs and they will use channels for different reasons. Historically, we were very much an in-person, go-into-the-branch environment. We still have customers who that’s really meaningful for, but increasingly we are seeing that people are doing less complex transactions, in particular online, and they want to be able to do that 24/7, at a time that works for them.

But if you talk to consumers, even younger consumers who we think of as digitally-native, they probably won’t [often] go into a TD store or a bank branch. Yet we know that there are times [that they will]. So if they’re getting ready to, for example, get a mortgage, something that’s a little bit more complex, or something they’re doing for the first time, they will want to come in and often seek advice in-person. We need to be able to serve our customers how they want to be served. And we need to make the experience feel more human.

For TD, one of the things that I think has made us stand out is our approachability. Regardless of how we’re interacting with our customers, we have what we call a conversationalist tone. Banking itself can have a lot of jargon; it can have some complexity. We aim to make the experience one that our customers find easy, that gives them advice, whether it’s what we call “big A” advice or “big wealth” advice, right down to needing a tip or some guidance.

CM: Are there channels you’re working with in the coming year that are new for you? What are you experimenting with?

TS: We’re constantly testing our media mix. There are more channels and different ways to reach consumers—and different consumers prefer different media. One example is CTV. It’s an interesting space for us. When I think about linear TV versus CTV, at the end of the day it starts with your objective. Increasingly, we are looking at local objectives, so looking at our core markets and understanding that in some markets we’re relatively new. We don’t have a big store presence, nor have we had a big marketing presence historically. So we need to focus on getting reach in those markets and building awareness.

But where we’ve been in a market for a long time, where we have a defined, prominent presence, we’re leaning into more consideration and further down-funnel activities, and connecting those. And evolving the media strategy to drive that. Something like CTV is great for a market where we have a lot of awareness but not as much consideration.

CM: What’s TD Bank’s growth strategy for the coming year?

TS: With the acquisition of First Horizon, TD will be a top six bank. We’re a top 10 bank currently, so growth in our core priority markets will continue to be critical. We see a couple of opportunities from a marketing perspective. One is to continue the growth that we’ve had in our core products across our customer base. And marketing plays a critical role in that. Internally, we’ve continued to work with our product partners in new and different ways through agile models, et cetera, to drive more and more growth through marketing where marketing is making an even bigger contribution than it has in the past.

Secondly, we’re a steward of the brand, and connecting that to customer experience. When customers do business with a brand that has values similar to their own, and then also delivers a customer experience in line with the brand promise, that drives loyalty and builds trust. Those are things that really matter to people as they look to deepen their relationship or expand their relationship with you. Marketing’s role is crucial in both of those areas. But it’s not just marketing who can own brand and the customer experience. It needs to live across the organization.

The third area for us is to move beyond customer acquisition and deepen engagement with our current customer base. Currently, we have a wide customer base. By understanding customer needs and being able to make seamless, connected, relevant personalized experiences, we will drive a better experience for our customers and be able to expand our relationship with them.

CM: Being a CMO of a large bank, what kinds of trends are you looking at right now? What should marketers be paying attention to?

TS: Obviously from a bank perspective, constantly looking at the landscape, how it’s evolving, what’s going on in the macroeconomic environment is critically important. And making sure that you’re building product services and being there to help your customers as they navigate some fairly uncertain times. That’s important in banking, but it’s important beyond banking. It starts with understanding consumer insights, staying relevant and staying up to speed with those trends and with those insights, because customer behaviors are evolving faster than they ever have before.

There is also a trend toward a much more personalized experience. I don’t think customers look at one category any longer. They are judging every company by a “best of the best” [mindset] and defining who the best of those companies are. And then thirdly is purpose. Especially in an uncertain and evolving world, purpose really matters to consumers. Understanding what your purpose is, what gets you and your colleagues up in the morning, why someone should be a customer or come to work with you and stay, is crucially important. Increasingly, we all see consumers wanting to do business with companies who have aligned values.

CM: Lastly, what are some qualities or attributes a marketer aspiring to reach the C-suite should be honing?

TS: One of the things that I constantly talk about is being open to different and new experiences. Marketing is evolving pretty rapidly, so getting breadth of experience is important. Sometimes people think about their career in linear ways, like “I need to move to the next level.” It’s also about understanding what experiences you need to get to the C-suite. Be open, be willing to try new things. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to stay in that role forever.

For me, in our culture at TD and at other companies that I’ve worked for in the past, I urge people to think about “the what and the how.” What you deliver is important. Taking accountability for your area is critical, but it’s also the “how.” I’m a big believer in building relationships. As companies look to build more agile structures, being able to work with different groups of people on aligned goals and aligned KPIs and outcomes is important.

And then, be open to change. We often talk about change like it’s something bad. Change can actually be so energizing and exciting. So, it’s not being afraid of it. We are always changing, we’re always evolving, and that’s not going away anytime soon.

The post Brands on Fire: TD Bank CMO on Sponsorship, Supporting Local Communities and CTV appeared first on Chief Marketer.

Consider this sobering statistic: Nearly one million women ages 25-54 have left the workforce since February 2020, according to numbers from the U.S. Department of Labor. It’s one of several reasons why our annual Market Like a Mother feature, which recognizes marketing moms excelling in the workplace and at home, felt even more vital this year.

The insight has also fueled a new initiative from Danone North America’s Light + Fit yogurt brand, dubbed The Comeback, that helps a small group of women return to work through a paid summer program led by Danone brand marketing executives.

“It’s designed to help reacquaint participants with the workplace, help them gain valuable experience and ramp up the next chapter of their careers after an extended break,” says Surbhi Martin, VP of Marketing, Greek Yogurt & Functional Wellness. “We want to be that bridge with this ‘returnship’ program and close those resume gaps so that they can return to the workplace more easily.” Indeed, the brand’s updated mission—to support women’s economic empowerment—was a perfect fit. We spoke with Martin about the initiative and the brand’s mission, acquisition strategy, marketing shifts resulting from the pandemic, and more.

Chief Marketer: What inspired you to create The Comeback program?

Surbhi Martin, VP of Marketing, Greek Yogurt & Functional Wellness: Light + Fit is a trusted brand that has supported women on their health journey for more than 30 years. Our mission is to help women lighten the load when they are trying to balance their life, their work and their own wellness. We also want be a brand that supports women’s economic empowerment. The insight that drove our program, The Comeback, is that since February of 2020, nearly one million women have left the workforce due to a variety of reasons, from lack of paid family leave to limited childcare resources, and as part of our mission to help support women balancing their career and their family, we want to be part of that solution.

CM: Having a mission and a brand purpose is more important than ever. Is this a new mission for the brand?

SM: Over the course of the past year or so, we’ve evolved our mission to be more focused on women’s economic empowerment. The first example of that mission coming to life was at the end of last year when we launched the Dress for Success Greek yogurt flavor. This was a partnership between Light + Fit and Dress for Success where we launched two new flavors, lemon cream and orange cream, that support and celebrate women’s economic empowerment. We also donated $100,000 to Dress for Success to support their mission and partnered with a female illustrator to design the art on the new packs. We supported it with a campaign that included shopper marketing tactics and partnering with influencers in the food space. These packs have done really well after just a few months in market; since launch, they’ve already exceeded our sales rate expectations by 40 percent.

Then with The Comeback, we’re creating the first pilot return-to-work program on the Light + Fit brand to help be a bridge to bring women back into the workforce through a “returnship” program. They will be working with Light + Fit brand marketing executives and some cross-functional executives that are supporting and participating in the program at Danone North America. It’s a six-week paid summer program designed to help reacquaint participants with the workplace, help them gain valuable experience and really ramp up the next chapter of their careers after an extended break.

It’s been designed in this way is because we know that one of the challenges women face when returning to the workplace after an extended leave is a resume gap. We want to be that bridge with this returnship program and help close those resume gaps so that they can return to the workplace more easily. Our hope and our plans are that we would expand this program more broadly after the initial pilot this year.

CM: How are you getting the word out about this program? What channels and tactics are you using?

SM: We are launching with a 360-integrated marketing campaign, with social (Instagram and LinkedIn), owned content, as you’ve seen on The Comeback website, PR and influencers, specifically the healthy eating guru Hungry Girl, and through a strategic partnership with Women Back to Work. They are known as the returnship expert and have helped some of the largest, most recognized companies create custom return-to-work programs for female professionals. They’re an important strategic partner that’s helping us get the word out. We’re also talking about it with some in-store retail, signage, shopper materials and through sampling kits.

CM: Speaking more broadly, how do you approach marketing Light + Fit as a brand, in relation to the others that you market? What are your challenges?

SM: We have a portfolio of Greek yogurt brands at Danone North America. We did some proprietary consumer research in 2020, both consumer qualitative and quantitative, with 6,000 consumers. That research helped us segment demand in the Greek yogurt space, and we were able to position each of the brands in our portfolio to serve distinct consumer needs. It allows us to manage our portfolio in a way that’s MECE-y—Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive. That house of brands strategy is a key part of how position our brands and market them to different consumer groups.

In the case of Light + Fit, we know that we have a loyal large consumer base—often that’s been with us for many years. So, our communication strategy is focused on maintaining top-of-mind awareness and driving buy rate among our core loyal users. And then in addition to that, we are looking to recruit new consumers who may not be familiar with Light + Fit or who might perceive it as a dated, old-school diet brand. We’re trying to challenge that brand perception and drive consideration and ultimately trial with newer users.

The research that I mentioned has allowed us to distinguish strategic targets for Light + Fit. These are consumers who are on a weight management, health-and-wellness journey, but who are maybe not aware of the variety of flavors and delicious taste that Light + Fit can offer.

CM: The pandemic has required marketers to experiment with different channels and perhaps shift marketing spend to different areas. How has Light + Fit adjusted to the changes in consumer shopping habits?

SM: In terms of formats, during the pandemic we saw a shift from eating outside the home, such as at-work or on-the-go, to eating more at home. As a result, we put more emphasis on marketing our larger-format packs, such as our multipack, as opposed to single-serve packs that serve more of that on-the-go occasion on the way to work or as a snack on the way to run errands. Frankly, we expect some of that shift to stick. We think that consumers will continue to consume more at home for the next year or two, because some of that behavior is going to continue even as we start to reemerge in a post-pandemic world.

In terms of channel mix and marketing spend, we certainly spent more on ecommerce websites. It’s no surprise that consumers were doing more of their grocery trips from home versus going in stores during the pandemic. And that prompted the acceleration of growth in ecommerce channels. We did shift some of our dollars to be able to be reach consumers where they are. That acceleration of shopping more online on ecommerce sites is something we expect to stick post-pandemic as well.

The post Light + Fit Launches ‘The Comeback’ Program to Support Women Reentering the Workforce appeared first on Chief Marketer.

Old Spice released the latest installment of its playful “Men Have Skin Too” commercials this week. And this time, it’s providing an outlet for women to “come clean” about stealing their significant others’ products. For a limited time, consumers who purchase a product from its Fresher Collection will get another item (presumably the one they stole) for free and some Old Spice swag, to boot. The brand also declared its Oct. 19 launch as “Come Clean Day.”

New behaviors during the pandemic—along with consumer insights—helped shape the strategy behind the campaign. “There’s this whole notion around sharing while cohabitating. About 50 percent of women who we spoke with talked about using their significant others’ grooming products. And we know today that a lot of women love Old Spice,” says Matt Krehbiel, Old Spice Vice President at Procter & Gamble. We spoke with Krehbiel about the campaign’s latest creative how the brand is approaching experiences and its most recent cause marketing initiatives.

Chief Marketer: What originally inspired the “Men Have Skin Too” campaign?

Matt Krehbiel: One of the things that we recognized from a product standpoint is that our target loves our scent. But he also wants clean, healthy, moisturized skin. We have our Fresher Collection, which brings real benefits, and it’s an ingredient-based line. We’ve got products like moisturizer with Shea butter and a new Fiji hand and body lotion. We knew that we were bringing him something so that he could take his self-care up to the next level. But we also got some insights as we were talking to our consumers. One of the things that came up thematically was that he often just gets that little corner within the shower. And his significant other may have tons more stuff in the bathroom.

There’s also this whole notion around sharing while cohabitating. About 50 percent of women whom we spoke with talked about using their significant others’ grooming products. And we know today that a lot of women love Old Spice. So the #MenHaveSkinToo campaign was born. It features Deon Cole and Gabrielle Dennis as our two lead characters. They are married and throughout the series she keeps taking his Old Spice products, whether it’s our long-lasting antiperspirant or moisturizing body wash. This new aspect of the series brings new relationships, such as Deon’s mother-in-law with Patti LaBelle or the therapist with Nia long. We have some other fun surprises coming up in January as well.

CM: Are you anticipating an increase in product sales with women as a result of this campaign?

MK: We’re having fun with the dynamic between men and women. We know that a lot of women today buy and use and love Old Spice. Of course, a lot of men do, too. The campaign really speaks to anyone who Old Spice appeals to, but it has a little fun by flipping it on its head. Now she is taking his product. He used to look over at the women’s side of the beauty island and see all these benefits that he may have felt like he was missing out on, but in this case, Old Spice brings him those benefits. So, the tables have turned and she’s looking over at his stuff more.

CM: Overall, has the program increased sales since you started airing the spots?

MK: We launched this program in 2019 and our sales have steadily increased over the last two years on both our antiperspirant deodorant business as well as our body wash business. Our hand and body lotion is a new business that we brought in. We read through the comments during the initial campaign and we saw some people saying, “you guys should do a lotion.” And “I love that you’re doing things in the moisturization space.” So even those new products were inspired by comments that we got from our consumers.

CM: Talk about the new holiday you’ve created, “Come Clean Day.” How did that come about and how you are you supporting it from a marketing perspective?

MK: Our launch day is also going to be our national Come Clean Day. On oldspice.com, you can playfully fess up to having used your significant other’s products. And you can buy a Fresher Collection item for yourself. We have things available for the significant other, like a hat or a t-shirt or other fun products. We find that people love to associate with the brand overall, as an entertainment brand with humor. People actually love Old Spice t-shirts and swag, so it’s a great way to do that. We’ve had merch available over the past couple of years. The fun and new component is that she can order one for herself and get something for him as well.

CM: Let’s shift gears to experiential. How are you approaching experiences this year?

MK: Throughout the pandemic, we’ve tried to keep the experiential nature of the brand going. A great example is our work at the NFL Draft. Some of our previous NFL things may have been in-person, but even when the Draft was virtual we did an Old Spice robes stunt. As we look to the year ahead, we’ll be prepared for solutions, depending on the in-person nature of activities. We are planning to be around Super Bowl. We work with some of our strongest NFL partners, people like Derrick Henry, to bring our messaging to life. But we also know that the reach of that needs to go well beyond the walls of the people who are in the experience themselves. And some of the ways that we do that is by enabling people to create content, or to take part in our content, in a way that becomes shareable.

CM: How do you use your Old Spice Barbershop in Columbus, OH, to create content through experiences? Has the pandemic shifted that strategy at all?

MK: It’s a fully functioning barbershop right on the Ohio State campus where people come in to get cuts. With students back in school, we’re seeing traffic flow in well to the barbershops. Its primary objective is to introduce guys to the brand and to our grooming solutions in an authentic way. But to your point, it is also a fully functioning content studio that allows us to go well beyond the walls of the barbershop and to share tips on how to style your hair, how to take care of your scalp, as well as having some fun Easter eggs throughout, including the fact that the register is an actual old wooden boat sawed in half.

And we’ve got other fun things throughout that surprise and delight those who come in. We’ve got barbers there every day. And then sometimes we bring in barbers to our Barber Residency Program, where celebrity barbers help both create some of the tutorials and the content that we push out. It launched about a year ago.

CM: How did the idea come about?

MK: We had become a serious player in hair as the number one men’s hair brand. And we knew that part of what we want to stand for is helping guys look and feel their best and feel confident for success. We are getting that through the one-on-one interactions, but also by ensuring that he has the content. So, if he searches for a particular hairstyle that he wants or a particular solution that he needs, we’re there with the content that can help address those needs.

CM: The brand has been prioritizing cause marketing programs recently. Talk about some of those initiatives.

MK: We’ve launched “Old Spice Ambition,” where over the next 10 years we plan to help improve the life of young people by improving high school graduation rates. We want to empower students to have the confidence they need to know that they can succeed. And we’re doing that by connecting with them in a number of ways. We partnered with the filmmakers of “Black Boys,” which is a documentary in partnership with “Frontlines of Justice.” That helped us engage in discussions with kids through virtual Zoom calls. We had [NFL players] like Malcolm Jenkins and Travis Kelce engage with students and have conversations about confidence and the importance of mentorship. We’ve been really inspired by this mentorship space. Part of what we aim to do is increase the number of mentors that are available for young kids, so that they’re set up to graduate from high school and go on and achieve their dreams.

The post Old Spice Brand VP Discusses ‘Men Have Skin Too’ Series, Experiences and Cause Marketing appeared first on Chief Marketer.

It’s no secret that Gen Z is passionate about the fight against climate change—perhaps more than any other generation. According to a 2021 Deloitte survey, protecting the environment is the number one concern for the demographic, ahead of unemployment and healthcare. Moreover, the majority of Gen Z consumers would be willing to spend more on products that are sustainable, a white paper from First Insight reports. They are also prepared to take action to drive change—and pay attention to those companies that are authentically doing so.

An example of a brand walking the walk is Canon, a company that strives to follow the Buddhist philosophy of “kyosei,” a concept that advocates harmony between people and the environment. When the team at Canon learned that the University of Miami was spearheading a coral reef restoration project in Key Biscayne, FL, it offered to lend its cutting-edge imaging equipment to students and researchers to document the project on TikTok while also supporting an ongoing fellowship program.

The restoration project, first initiated in 2019, entailed the creation of the “Canon Reef” through collecting small fragments of existing coral from an underwater nursery, preparing them to create additional colonies and then out-planting them back onto the reef. The brand also enlisted cinematic videographer Peter Zuccarini to capture coral spawning and continues to help spread coral reef conservation awareness through allowing students from the University of Miami to document the restoration efforts through social media, including the student-run Rescue a Reef TikTok channel.

We spoke with Canon USA’s Regional Account Manager Lisa Alford, the brand’s lead marketer—and also photographer—on the project, about how Canon tapped the creator community to spread awareness of these conservation efforts and inspire younger generations to take direct action in the fight against climate change.

Chief Marketer: How did this project first come about?

Lisa Alford: Canon has worked with the University of Miami closely for a number of years. We have a dynamic and collaborative partnership. We provide cameras, printers and enterprise solutions throughout the university. When we learned that the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science was going to be doing this program, we were excited to expand that partnership. The initiative involved university researchers, faculty and students as well as Canon team members.

We used Canon imaging equipment to document the progress for the researchers and also to educate the public on the restoration project. It really tied back to Canon’s global philosophy of kyosei, one of our integral connections to our Japanese heritage. It inspires our daily work and purpose. Kyosei is an idea of harmony and sustainability. Canon defines it as the belief that all people, regardless of race, religion, or culture, are harmoniously living and working together towards the common good. This goes back to everything that we do throughout our company and all of our sustainability programs.

In addition to helping with the restoration project, we also created the Canon Coral Reef Fellowship Program to provide select students the opportunity to work closely with Canon’s camera professionals to give them hands-on learning of core camera capabilities and photography skills so that they could use our equipment properly and get the most out of the research and education. By using our equipment, they were able to shoot, package up the content and bring it to life through education campaigns to raise awareness. It helped to foster these budding photography and videography talents while also empowering them to help fight climate change.

CM: What were the strategic marketing goals of this program? How do you gauge its success?

LA: The strategic marketing goals were to drive awareness through promoting the program through the creator community. Canon has a unique understanding of the creator community because there are many bloggers and social media influencers that use our equipment to create their work. So, because we are already deeply embedded in platforms like TikTok and YouTube, which is where Gen Z turns to for a lot of information and entertainment, there were a lot of ways that we were able to use our marketing through those platforms to promote these efforts.

We were also lucky to work with very talented students through the Canon Coral Reef Fellowship Program. They were able to document the process using equipment like the PowerShot G7 X Mark II. And then we were able to take all of that content that they documented on the process of rebuilding the coral reef and leverage it on social media. The fellows started the Rescue a Reef TikTok account and they invited other people to join in on the action.

CM: Why did Canon use TikTok for this program?

LA: We used TikTok because it was the perfect medium to showcase the journey and experience to other young people who use the platform and empower others to get in on the fight against climate change. So while Canon doesn’t actually own the Rescue a Reef channel, we are really happy to see that organic engagement with our equipment being used to capture the work. It helps to open people’s eyes to what’s happening and give them the information that they need to get involved in their own way to help fight climate change where they live.

CM: In what other ways is Canon practicing sustainability?

LA: Canon has a lot of different sustainable programs that we currently work on and that we’re going to continue to work on into the future. We work with Yellowstone National Park and the Audubon Society. It’s really about continuing to empower the creator community with our equipment while stressing our philosophy of kyosei and harmony at all levels—most of all with our environment. Canon strives to be a leader in sustainability, even down to our shipping methods and recycling ink and toner cartridges from our multi-function products. In our headquarters, we have our recycling programs, a food waste program and we are a LEED Gold-certified building.

A recent survey reported that 73 percent of Gen Z expressed concern and worry for the impact of climate change on the planet. We want them to understand that Canon takes it seriously as well, especially as we look forward to the future and the next generation of image makers. We want Gen Z and other young people to see the content that we have created with the University of Miami and be inspired to follow their own creativity and also learn more about how they can fight climate change. We want it to help them to be emboldened to do their part, to fight it just like their counterparts at the University of Miami are doing.

The post Canon’s Coral Reef Project Taps Gen Z Creators to Spread a Message of Sustainability appeared first on Chief Marketer.

Our monthly profile of an outstanding marketer whose leadership and campaigns are moving the needle for their brand.

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Being CMO of IBM’s Weather Channel technology, website and app is a weighty job in and of itself. But as CMO of Watson Advertising and Weather; Developer Marketing at IBM, Randi Stipes also oversees marketing for its B2B AI ad solutions division and its global developer incubator, which grants access to IBM technology to developers worldwide who are building open-source solutions that address societal issues.

“I feel like I have the best job at IBM in that it does feel at face value like a disparate portfolio, with very different customers, very different audiences,” Stipes says. “What transcends all these businesses is being able to provide consumers, brands and developers access to technology and expertise that is going to help them make better decisions.”

Consumers and businesses have certainly needed to make myriad unprecedented decisions during the past 18 months. “When I reflect on the past year there’s been this confluence of crises,” Stipes says. “I think about the opportunity these moments of crises have provided, and I think about how we can lead not only to get through it but to create growth and purpose and meaning.”

The COVID Crisis

Arguably the most dominant crisis has been the COVID-19 pandemic. The Weather Channel took advantage of its huge reach—more than 400 million users across 2.5 billion devices—to create a COVID-19 tracker and news resource on weather.com. It took the data and tech teams just five days, Stipes says with pride. “We used AI and advanced data analytics that pulls in data from local and state governments, the CDC, the World Health Organization, so that people could see what was happening in their own backyards.” She is quick to give credit to her employees for this initiative: “It was the spirit of the team recognizing we have the tools and wanting to provide this public service.”

The pandemic also led Stipes and her team to quickly pivot on another initiative, its 2020 Call for Code. Launched in 2018 in partnership with the U.N. Human Rights Council and the Linux Foundation, Call for Code, according to Stipes, answers the question, “How can we arm developers with technology so that they can help solve some of the world’s, of society’s, greatest challenges?” To date, more than 400,000 developers and data scientists from 179 countries have participated, creating more than 15,000 apps.

A sort of altruistic hackathon, Call for Code is given a theme each year. Just weeks after climate change was announced as the 2020 theme, much of the world went into lockdown. That led Stipes and IBM to expand the focus to address COVID-19 as well. They weren’t expecting developers to come up with a vaccine, she hastens to explain, but rather “how technology can address community cooperation and remote education.”

The global developer community rallied around the new theme; participation in the 2020 Call for Code was six times that of the previous year. Among the solutions tested and deployed with the support of IBM and partners were Safe Queue, an app that simplifies social distancing for those waiting in line at a store or a restaurant, and Are You Well?, an app that helps medical professionals triage those with COVID-19 symptoms.

The Racial Injustice Crisis

Call for Code pivoted once again just a few months later. Responding to the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and other POC, IBM launched Call for Code for Racial Justice. “Employees were really the catalyst,” Stipes says of the initiative, which aims to combat systemic racism by focusing on police and judicial reform and accountability, diverse representation, and policy and legislation reform.

While Call for Code functions as a competition among developers, “we did not think it was appropriate to position this as a challenge,” Stipes says. “We didn’t want people competing against each other; there’s enough divisiveness as it is.” IBM has already deployed and is making available to other users one of the Call for Code for Racial Justice solutions: TakeTwo, an API that flags racially biased words and phrases in text.

Building upon the Call for Code model, in June 2020 Stipes launched Call for Creative under the Watson Advertising umbrella. This gives brands the opportunity to use the Watson Advertising Accelerator tool—which relies on AI to help improve the effectiveness of marketing creative—to create public-service campaigns.

“I’m most proud of the recent work we’ve done with the Ad Council,” Stipes says. “First, they ran a campaign last year, Love Has No Labels, promoting exclusivity and diversity. They used the Accelerator technology and had such strong results, they used it again for their [COVID-19] vaccination education campaign, making sure we’re reaching the right audiences in the right way for audiences who have historically been resistant to vaccinations.”

The Advertising Crisis

Stipes cites the Accelerator as one way that Watson Advertising is addressing the decreasing ability to use cookies and other identifiers to boost the effectiveness of ad and marketing campaigns. “We made a decision very early, in the midst of the pandemic and the industry undergoing all this transition, to take a leadership position,” she says. That includes building a suite of AI solutions that do not rely on identifiers. In addition to the Accelerator, these include IBM Watson Advertising Predictive Audiences and Advertising Attribution.

Stipes says she tests all Watson Advertising technology at the Weather Channel before bringing it to market. In fact, the Accelerator helped with marketing the Weather Channel’s subscription app, both of which launched in early 2020. “I used Accelerator technology to help me understand the type of messages, the calls to action, the creative, that would work the best. That is one contributing factor to why we’re likely to hit one million subscribers this quarter.”

There’s no doubt that the recent crises have taken a huge toll on individuals and industries. But there’s a silver lining: “[the past 18 months] forced everyone to lean into a new way of thinking and a new way of doing things,” Stipes says. “It’s an extraordinary time to be a marketer. My optimism is greater than my anxiety right now.”

The post Marketers on Fire: Randi Stipes, CMO of IBM’s Watson Advertising and Weather appeared first on Chief Marketer.

Editor’s note: This article has been periodically updated with additional brand initiatives.

—

“We’re all in this together.” That is the message many companies are communicating to customers and the general public while the world grapples with the COVID-19 health crisis. With countless businesses feeling the effects of event cancellations, restaurant and bar closures, limited mass transit and a halt on business travel, consumers are starved for good news—and brands are equipped to deliver.

Below we’ve compiled a list of companies that have jumped on the cause-marketing relief train during this unprecedented time by creating funds for consumers and businesses in need, alleviating employee hardships, providing food for children who depend on school for meals and more. The list below touches a wide variety of industries and is just a sample of what’s out there—but each has made a commitment to give back to the community in a time of need.

*Burger King is offering two complementary kid’s meals for each adult meal purchased online or through the Burger King app.

*In the absence of major sports league seasons like the NBA and the NHL, leagues are offering free access to certain programming. NFL is offering free access to NFL Game Pass, including access to past regular and postseason NFL games. Basketball fans will get a free preview of NBA League Pass. The MLB has pledged $30 million to help cover the lost wages of ballpark employees.

*Hootsuite is providing free access to its Professional Plan to nonprofits and small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.

*Influencer marketing platform Takumi is developing two pro-bono influencer campaigns that deliver critical health messages to the public: a #safehands partnership with the WHO to help spread information about proper handwashing and a Takumi-owned initiative to promote mental health and mindfulness amidst anxiety and misinformation about the pandemic.

*Dunkin is encouraging ordering to go through its app, also as a way to reward loyalty members.

*To encourage staying in shape while at home, Popsugar is offering up its monthly Active subscription for free to encourage social distancing. Likewise, after closures of its gyms, Planet Fitness is offering live-streamed home “work-ins” from 4pm to 7pm daily.

*Starbucks has delayed the expiration of its “Star” loyalty member points until June 1, 2020. It also announced April 1 that it’s donating $3 million toward fighting the virus.

*Jameson is pledging $500,000 to support the charity of the United States Bartenders’ Guild and also matching every dollar donated by consumers to the cause, up to $100,000 total. Molson Coors is also donating $1 million to the Guild.

*Mint Mobile is providing all current and new customers free unlimited high-speed data.

*T-Mobile is donating from $300,000 to $500,000 to charity Feeding America when consumers engage with its promotional program, T-Mobile Tuesdays. It’s also providing unlimited data to customers for the next 60 days in addition to data for mobile hotspot users.

*Kraft Heinz has committed to donating $12 million to food bank charities across the globe.

*KFC is working with Blessings in a Backpack to provide bags of food for children in need. The brand donated at total of $400,000.

*Facebook is offering $100 million in cash grants and credits to up to 30,000 eligible small businesses in 20 countries. It’s also offering another $100 million in grants and advertising credits to publishers.

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*Grocery store chains, including Dollar General and Stop & Shop, are offering specific hours early in the morning for seniors to shop before the general public is allowed to enter.

*Chipotle launched virtual hangouts on video-conference app Zoom, called “Chipotle Together,” that offer free burrito giveaways, special guests and Q&As.

*Many automakers have stepped up to the plate to help potential buyers, current customers and workers. Hyundai’s Assurance Job Loss Protection program makes up to six car payments for current customers and its lender arm will defer payments if needed. Ford created a “Built to Lend a Hand” program to assist with payments. And, in light of recent automotive closures, Ford, GM and Tesla are in talks with the Trump administration to begin producing much-needed ventilators for people infected by the virus.

*Ally Bank is deferring payments for auto and mortgage customers for 120 days and has pledged $3 million in financial aid to local communities and organizations.

*Walgreens is offering free shipping, free delivery for prescriptions, a free pharmacy chat about symptoms and healthcare provider consultations. In addition, it’s working with the government to create dedicated spaces at and around stores to conduct COVID-19 testing.

*Amazon launched the AWS Diagnostic Initiative to support its customers working on diagnostic research and development and has initially invested $20 million.

*Microsoft and Adaptive Biotechnologies are working to map adaptive immune responses to the disease in order to better understand, treat and prevent the virus from spreading.

*Internet providers like Comcast, AT&T and Sprint are offering up free data or suspending shutoffs.

*IKEA is donating 50,000 face masks that it found in a warehouse in one of its furniture stores in Sweden.

*With Vita Coco sales skyrocketing during the crisis, the brand has decided to pay it forward by donating $1 million to Feeding America and No Kid Hungry. CEO Michael Kirban has also challenged other businesses that have profited from COVID-19, like Netflix and Charmin, to put their profits into relief efforts. (Netflix did just announce a $100 million relief fund for the creative community.)

*Walmart is providing cash bonuses to its employees as its stores experience unprecedented demand. Trader Joe’s has followed suit.

*Under Armour has donated $1 million to Feeding America and $1 million to Good Sports. It’s also staging an at-home fitness challenge.

*Hanes is working with the government to use its factories to make masks for health care workers in order to meet the high demand for protective gear in hospitals.

*Shopify is offering employees $1,000 to buy supplies for a work-from-home office in order to ease the transition to remote work.

*Tito’s Vodka is donating $1 million to four organizations that support the service industry, CORE, USBG Foundation, Southern Smoke, and World Central Kitchen, and is allocating another $1 million to organizations in need.

*Apple has donated $15 million to communities affected, pledged a two-to-one corporate match of funds donated by employees toward COVID-19 relief and has committed to source much-needed medical supplies for health care workers. It also released a COVID-19 screening tool and has sourced and donated 10 million face masks to the medical community in the US and Europe.

*Headspace is offering health care professionals free access to Headspace Plus, a subscription for its meditation app, for 2020.

*AB InBev is donating millions of gallons of alcohol to manufacturers for the purpose of making hand sanitizer and disinfectants. It’s also donating $5 million to the American Red Cross to help fight the virus and created a PSA announcing that the company is shifting dollars from sports investments to helping organizations on the front lines.

*Bacardi Rum is also helping by committing to produce more than 1.7 million 10-ounce bottles of hand sanitizer.

*Gap Inc. has pledged to use its factories to make essential gear, clothing and equipment for health care workers.

*Twitter is protecting and supporting journalists during this time by giving $1 million to the Committee to Protect Journalists and the International Women’s Media Foundation.

*CVS, publisher brands like the NY Times and Uhaul were some of the first companies to step up.

*Twitch is holding “Stream Aid 2020,” a 12-hour streaming event on March 28 featuring big talent from gaming, music and sports, to benefit the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO powered by the United Nations Foundation.

*Airbnb is providing free or subsidized housing for 100,000 health care workers who are fighting the pandemic.

*Dyson is creating 15,000 ventilators for distribution in the UK and other countries.

*Wendy’s is shifting marketing spend originally allocated for its new breakfast menu toward support and relief for its franchises.

*ADT updated its logo to reflect social distancing behavior, launched a new social media campaign promoting the spread of kindness and positivity, ceased all door-to-door sales and invested in new technologies for salespeople working from home.

*Salesforce is making some of its technology free and has pledged not to do significant layoffs for 90 days.

*Chaco Footwear pivot from repairing and making custom sandals to producing protective equipment needed by healthcare workers. Meanwhile, Crocs is donating its footwear to medical professionals.

*Pornhub is donating 50,000 surgical masks New York City workers and is making its service free.

*FedEx is moving test specimens to 50 test centers across the country and UPS is setting up a drive-through testing program.

*Harbor Freight is donating 44 million pairs of gloves and hundreds of thousands of masks and face shields to hospitals in the 1,000 communities served by its stores.

*Employees at Neiman Marcus and Joann stores are making nonsurgical masks, gowns and scrubs at Neiman Marcus alterations facilities in California, New Jersey and Florida.

*Amazon is partnering with Lyft to recruit drivers to deliver packages and groceries during government-mandated lockdowns.

*In partnership with the World Health Organization, teams from Microsoft, Slack, Pinterest, Twitter and TikTok are building tools to address the challenges brought on by the outbreak through a #BuildforCOVID19 hackathon.

*Campari has donated $1 million to Another Round Another Rally, a nonprofit organization raising funds for hospitality workers, bars and hotels.

*Burberry, Emporio Armani and Dior are making masks and gowns for hospital workers within its factories. Burberry is also using its global supply chain network to fast-track delivery of 100,000 masks to the NHS in the UK.

*Google has pledged to donate $800 million toward small- and medium-sized businesses, health organizations, governments and health care workers on the front lines.

*Johnson & Johnson has partnered with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to create a billion doses of a vaccine, committing more than $1 billion in investment to co-fund the research.

*Home Depot has halted the sale of its N95 masks and is now donating them to hospitals, health care workers and first responders treating patients. It’s also donating millions of dollars in personal protective equipment and other products.

*Unilever is contributing 100 million pounds ($124 million) worth of donations of soap, sanitizer, bleach and food toward COVID-10 relief.

*Nestle is donating food, medical nutrition products and bottled water to communities most in need, putting CHF 10 million ($10.3 million) to countries most in need and matching Red Cross donations.

*TikTok is donating $10 million to the WHO’s Solidarity Response Fund as well as assisting with distribution of food support for families affected by the crisis. It then pledged $250 million toward supporting medical workers, educators and communities affected by the crisis.

*Dutch Bros coffee is donating all profits it makes for the month of April toward supporting medical responders.

*Given the decline of rideshare use, Uber has launched a “Work Hub” to help connect drivers to other employment opportunities from companies like McDonald’s, FedEx, UPS, Pepsi, Hertz and Walgreens. It also has waived delivery fees for restaurants and is providing free transportation to healthcare workers.

*Nike is working with Oregon Health & Science University to create personal protective equipment, including face shields and air-purifying respirator lenses, out of Nike-owned materials and within the brand’s manufacturing facilities.

*Intel is committing $50 million toward a pandemic response technology initiative that aims to help patient care, scientific research and online learning for students.

*Boll & Branch bedding company is manufacturing pillows and mattresses to give emergency medical operations.

*Verizon Media is donating $10 million in ad inventory to support mental and public health organizations and donate creative and staff to build campaigns for partner organizations.

*General Mills’ foundation is donating $5 million in charitable gifts in the form of meals for children and community programs, in addition to previous grants across the globe to increase food bank capacity.

*Mercedes Formula One is working with University College London engineers and clinicians to build Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) breathing devices.

*PepsiCo is donating $45 million toward food and other resources, including 20 million meals to communities in need through The PepsiCo Foundation’s Food for Good program, a partnership with No Kid Hungry.

*Bud Light Seltzer is partnering with Call of Duty on the Bud Light Seltzer Charity Royale Tournament. From April 21-May 7, every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday night, major athletes will raise money for charities helping workers on the frontlines.

*Subaru of America is donating 50 million meals to communities in need.

The post Cause Marketing in the Time of COVID-19 appeared first on Chief Marketer.

The brand announced the partnership on Twitter with a video featuring Bennett and a virtual “Turkey Trotters Hall of Fame” dedicated to the personalities who engage in the race. The comedian introduces the characters many of us are familiar with, from the overdressed and soon-to-be-boiling “over preparer,” to the “married-into-the-family man” who has nearly reached his physical breaking point.

Inspired by trotting’s great heroes, we are now The Official Beer of Turkey Trotters. Trotting this Thanksgiving? Share a pic with #WillTrotForBeer and we’ll donate $1 to @AmpleHarvest to help fight hunger. For more info on donations visit https://t.co/ryQJHjjZX7 pic.twitter.com/nvHJcwtNEG

— Michelob ULTRA (@MichelobULTRA) November 21, 2019

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The campaign includes a cause marketing component. Consumers above the age of 21 are invited to follow @MichelobULTRA on Twitter or Instagram and share a Turkey Trot pic using the hashtag #WillTrotForBeer in exchange for a $1 donation to Ample Harvest, a nonprofit dedicated to ending food waste and hunger. The promotion, which runs from Nov. 28-Dec. 1, also includes sponsorships of local races across the country where consumers can score free brewskis redeemable through a Drizly promo code.

Michelob ULTRA has capitalized on the wellness marketing trend previously by incorporating fitness events into its marketing strategy, most notably with the Michelob UTLRA Fit Fest, an exclusive, ticketed fitness festival that combined group training sessions, outdoor adventures and entertainment for a weekend-long event.

“Michelob ULTRA has always been a supporter of the running community and this year we wanted to take it one step further as The Official Beer of Turkey Trotters,” Azania Andrews, VP Marketing, Michelob ULTRA told Chief Marketer. “Our brand platform, Do It For The Cheers, celebrates the fact that wellness is meant to be enjoyed. Turkey Trots are all about having fun with family and friends and enjoying yourself while getting your fitness in so supporting Turkey Trotters around the country was a natural fit for our brand.”

The post Michelob ULTRA Becomes Beer Sponsor of Thanksgiving Turkey Trotters appeared first on Chief Marketer.

Major U.S. retail chains including Walgreens and CVS recently made headlines when they announced they would ban the open carry of guns in their stores, even in states that currently permit the open carry of handguns and rifles by civilians. In doing so, they joined the ever-growing list of companies that are actively taking social stances through their corporate messaging, marketing and actions.

These days, there’s growing pressure on companies to express their brand values and illustrate their stand on key social or political issues. According to insights drawn from Resonate’s consumer intelligence platform, today’s U.S. consumers are significantly more likely to let their hearts and minds drive their wallets. They’re increasingly deciding which brands deserve their dollars based on the values they demonstrate as a company. In fact, 30 percent of U.S. adult consumers are willing to pay more for a product based on the brand’s corporate values and how those values align to their own. Moreover:

● 53 percent of the U.S. adult population believes in the importance of equality and acceptance of others who are different from them.
● Nearly 40 million U.S. adults prefer companies that support the community.
● 53 percent prefer companies that are honest and trustworthy.

There are also notable generational distinctions in how consumers shop based on brand values. For example, Millennials are 56 percent more likely than Baby Boomers to choose a company or purchase a product if that company is perceived to listen to the public. The Millennial tendency to support civic-minded brands only increases when considering environmental issues, such as whether a company has programs to reduce energy use (Millennials are 60 percent more likely to support than Baby Boomers) or uses “green” packaging (66 percent more likely). Millennials are also more likely than other generations to choose a brand based on how they treat their employees.

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Aligning with Consumer Values
Value-aligned customer experiences are key to igniting growth in today’s marketplace, but creating that alignment requires a brand to intimately understand what drives its audiences on a personal level. In that regard, it’s imperative that brands tap into the right insights when framing their brands’ social stances. Let’s take a look at four key requirements for resonating with consumers in today’s advocacy-driven world, as well as some brands that are getting it right.

1. Choose authentically. Avoid taking a stand on a cause just because it’s trending in the news or because it seems like every other company has something to say on the matter. Choose an issue that is authentic to your brand ethos, related to your core business proposition and aligned to your company’s products or services.

One company that champions causes in line with its brand mission is Patagonia. In December 2017, President Trump issued an order reducing the size of nationally protected land in Utah by almost 2 million acres. Patagonia replaced its usual homepage with the phrase, “The President Stole Your Land” written in white, bold letters. This wasn’t part of a big marketing blitz or campaign strategy; it was completely synchronized with the company’s mission statement: “Use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.” This type of brand-to-value alignment builds brand equity and drives customer loyalty.

2. Understand the values and psychological drivers of your customers. If you haven’t seen Nike’s “Dream Crazier” campaign, check out this video. This is what happens when a company understands the core values of its customers and puts those insights into action. According to Resonate data, women who buy Nike products are 44 percent more likely to value equality. The individuals in this video emphasize the equality of all people and believe life is about social justice. Nike’s #DreamCrazy campaign successfully tapped into that belief with its creative and messaging that highlights some of the most decorated female athletes challenging the gender bias in sports. The reaction on social media was widely positive, and the campaign deepened brand affinity, particularly with women.

3. Wave the banner. Aligning to customers’ preferred methods of civic expression helps brands strengthen their connections with them, driving loyalty. For example, H&M’s garment collecting initiative incentivized customers to bring their old clothes to their local store so they could reuse and recycle them. Doing so would result in the donors receiving 15 percent off their purchases. According to Resonate’s insights, H&M customers are 80 percent more likely to contribute to a cause and 59 percent more likely to volunteer for a cause than the average U.S. shopper, meaning they value social engagement beyond monetary donations. H&M’s initiative correlates with its customers’ preferred avenue of civic expression, and it highlights its commitment to social responsibility.

4. Tap into human motives. Understanding what factors drive your customers to advocate or buy from one brand over another is crucial to keeping your customers loyal. Take CVS as an example. According to Resonate’s insights, 34 percent of CVS customers prefer doing business with companies that have truthful ads. Smartly, CVS recently launched an initiative called “Beauty Unaltered,” in which the company plans to identify beauty advertisements found in its stores that have been digitally altered. Explaining further in its official statement, the company said, “We believe we have an opportunity, and responsibility, to think about the messages we send to our customers and how they impact their health.” This is the intersection of personal values and brand values, authenticity and action.

When brands authentically take a stand on a cause or issue, they’re building emotional connections with their consumers by tapping into their values and motivations. People want their brands to be authentic, personable, trustworthy and—above all else—human. Following the above guidelines separates brand value alignment from trendy marketing ploys. When genuine, a brand’s social stance can deepen consumer connections and ultimately increase customer lifetime value.

Ericka McCoy is CMO of consumer intelligence platform Resonate.

The post Yes, Brands: Your Position on Social Issues Matters to Consumers appeared first on Chief Marketer.

Increasingly, consumers are looking to businesses to drive change on issues they care about. Edelman found that 64% of buyers say CEOs should take the lead on change rather than waiting for the government to impose it.

Taking a stance is not a new idea—creative director Bill Bernbach said it best: “If you stand for something, you will always find some people for you and some against you. If you stand for nothing, you will find nobody against you, and nobody for you.”

This much is undeniable: What used to be seen as “church and state” separation between brands and hot button issues facing society is now a situation of blurred lines.

Taking a Stand

Now, we see consumer brands like Patagonia taking a stance on environmental protection by donating $10M saved in recent tax cuts to grassroots activism (read CEO Rose Marcario’s announcement.) This is in line with the company’s brand commitment “1% for the Planet.”

We see Nike supporting Colin Kaepernick’s protest of police brutality against African-Americans by kneeling in NFL games during the National Anthem in their now Emmy-award winning campaign featuring the copy “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything.”

We see the children’s magazine Highlights making a statement about family separation at the border. “This is not a political statement about immigration policy. This is a statement about human decency. We invite you—regardless of your political leanings—to join us in speaking out against family separation and to call for more humane treatment of immigrant children currently being held in detention facilities… “

This is not just a PR issue, or a matter of including certain societal hot button issues in a marketing / PR campaign. It also extends to internal policies about who companies chose to do business with.

Wayfair recently saw the impact of not taking a stand on an issue, namely, the treatment of immigrants (including 12,000 children) in border detention centers. When it was revealed that the company had sold beds to BCFS, a contractor that manages the camps, 500 employees staged a well-publicized walkout of the Boston headquarters in protest. Their demands? Stop doing business with BCFS, and establish a code of ethics. The event shined a light on what can happen when internal strategy is not codified about who a company is willing to do business with and how to make that decision.

A similar situation occurred with cloud computing giant Salesforce.com, when 650 employees signed a letter questioning the company’s business deals with the US Customs and Border Protection Agency.

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“We are particularly concerned about the use of Service Cloud to manage border activities,” the employees’ letter reads. “Given the inhumane separation of children from their parents currently taking place at the border, we believe that our core value of Equality is at stake and that Salesforce should reexamine our contractual relationship with CBP and speak out against its practices.”

Though CEO Marc Benioff clarified to Recode that the software was not used in the controversial act of separating families, the company did create an Office of Ethical and Humane Use of Technology to set industry-wide standards around such issues in the future.

Picking Your Battles

Failing to take a stand on the right issues to avoid risk is actually the larger risk for brands as it threatens a slide into irrelevance. Unfortunately, the prevailing mantra of many marketers is “maybe if they keep seeing our brand, they won’t notice we have nothing new to add to the conversation.”

Brands don’t need to have an opinion about everything—that would be unwise. But they must stand for something. Studies have found that two in five don’t agree that brands stand for something they believe in.

It’s important for brands to understand which issues they should have an opinion and point of view about, and which they should not.

Appropriate issues are those that intersect with your buyers. They could be particular to an industry (see Salesforce and its take on cloud computing, or Catalant and its beliefs around the role of contract workers, or Moz and its belief in white hat SEO.) These are beliefs and stances just as meaningful as societal issues.

Other appropriate narratives for businesses to have a say about are those that intersect with the workings of the business itself—pay equality and parental leave, the fair treatment of minorities at work like people of color and LGBTQ+ employees, or environmental issues as impacted by industry.

Consider these four benefits of showcasing what your company believes in:

1- Taking a stand is a way of creating relevance with the buyers and employees who matter (and clarifying who you’re for, and who you’re not for).

2- It’s a way of communicating values, which is how individuals feel a sense of connection with brands (as we do with each other.)

3- It’s a way of signaling a brand can be trusted in an age where 42% of buyers don’t know which companies to trust (Edelman.)

4- It gives your employees a North Star by which to operate and make decisions day-to-day (critical for large organizations.)

Overall, organizations who take the time to clarify what they believe, what they stand for, and what they stand against are those that will maintain relevance in this new age where brand and consumer values intersect. However, it takes great internal alignment, bold leadership from the very top of an organization, and marketing leadership who is willing to protect their company from the risks of pandering or virtue-signaling.

Katie Martell is an on-demand marketing consultant.

The post Don’t Be Afraid: The Risks—and Benefits—of Driving Change appeared first on Chief Marketer.

Customers no longer just want to buy from brands with great products and services. Today, customers want to support brands that share their values and have the courage to act on those beliefs.

That means that brands can’t afford to take a passive role in the narratives affecting their industry and their customers, says on-demand marketing consultant Katie Martell.

“Thanks to the prevalence of marketing—we see thousands of marketing messages a day—businesses play a massive role in modern society as culture-makers and opinion-drivers,” says Martell, who is moderating a keynote discussion on the next decade of marketing this week at Connect to Convert in Boston.

Once upon a time, there was a church/state separation between brands and hot button issues,. But today, those lines are blurred, and cause marketing is top of mind for brands, she notes. Consider how Patagonia took a stance on environmental protection by donated $10 million saved in tax cuts to grassroots activism, how Nike supported Colin Kaepernick’s protest of police brutality against African Americans or children’s magazine Highlights stance on family separation at the border.

“This is not just a PR issue, or a matter of including certain societal hot button issues in a marketing / PR campaign,” says Martell. “It also extends to internal policies about who companies chose to do business with.”

The future of marketing lies in being value-based, but that can’t start from the marketing department, says Lindsey Christensen, CMO of Thoughtbot. It has to be embedded in the company already, and be a part of how the company operates.

“It needs to be reflected in how leadership is thinking and acting,” says Christensen. “If that exists, then as a marketer you have this gift to amplify those values that are already true to your business.”

Stay True to Your Brand

For Constant Contact, the idea of getting involved is baked into the company’s DNA, says Hannah Budreski, vice president of marketing.

“At the end of the day, we’re a mission based company,” says Budreski. “We’re hyper focused on the success of small businesses, and that’s an easy proposition to get behind. How could anyone be against America’s small businesses?”

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That’s an admittedly non-controversial stance, but the company has had conversations about getting dipping its corporate toes into other issues, like a “get out the vote” campaign. Still, even something as vanilla as that can have consequences.

“Somebody said ‘you know, there will be a lot of angry calls, because this is [perceived] as a super liberal issue’. I thought ‘What????’ I couldn’t believe it,” she says. “No matter what you choose, you’re going to alienate somebody. But your brand can’t be everything to everybody.”

Toast also chooses to focus its cause marketing efforts on issues close to the hearts of its customers and employees. The restaurant management platform recently launched Toast.org, a nonprofit arm focused on solve food issues in communities

“The food landscape is core to our mission,” says Kelly Esten, senior director of product marketing at Toast. “And it’s important for us to think about what is important to restauranteurs. Many of our employees grew up in the food and beverage industry, and are passionate about that and seeing small businesses thrive.”

Issue-based marketing needs to be something that is a truth for the company, Christensen says. For Thoughtbot, an unexpected opportunity came up when someone on the team put together inclusivity guidelines for internal use, to offer guidance on things like making sure everyone feels represented, and helping avoid micro-aggressions. The guidelines were posted in conference rooms, and also reposted as an open source on GitHub and pinned to the company Twitter account.

“People started flooding us with messages,” says Christensen. “The response was amazing, with people telling us how they were going to use it and giving feedback on how to improve it, which was welcome.”

Be Brave

Courage is an important characteristic in life and marketing, says Rahim Rajpar, head of insurance marketing and direct to consumer business of John Hancock.
“Societal issues are something brands should embark on and corporations do have a larger responsibility the community. But deciding what to stick your neck out on requires consideration.”

Your commitment to a cause may feel empowering and energizing to segments of your audience—but it won’t click with everyone. “Certain segments may see your brand as one they now don’t want to do business with that,” Rajpar notes.

If a brand is committed to a cause, they need to go beyond just changing their homepage for the day, he says. Customers will see through that in a heartbeat. “Customers are savvy, so you have to be cautious.”

In Massachusetts, where John Hancock is based, the company stood behind Question 3 issue, a gender identity anti-discrimination initiative. “It was important for our employees, so we stood behind legislation that was going to further the cause, says Rajpar.

“If you’re really about making a stand, get behind legislation that would further the cause,” he adds. “Fund employee groups in your company that support the issue. Don’t just change the logo.”

It’s key to make sure that whatever you do is truly in the spirit of giving back and not just a ploy to be relevant in the latest news cycle, agrees Constant Contact’s Budreski. When a hurricane hit Houston, it took out a few of the company’s data centers in the area. It donated to organizations providing aid in that area, and assisted some nearby customers, but didn’t make the effort public.

“We just did it because it was the right thing to do. If someone asked us about it, that’s fine,” says Budreski. “We do the right thing because we believe in it. I think some businesses exploit that a bit. For example, everybody celebrated Pride. Are you doing it because your company is really behind it, or because everybody is celebrating? We try to understand where are customers are and what they care about—if they’re aligned with where we are and what we care about, then it’s a great fit.”

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