Today’s consumers are existential by default. Gone are the days when a fabulous product-offering was the only requirement for an organization to stand out from the crowd.  

It is imperative that brands establish their “point” and “purpose” before counting on profit.  

Indeed, the Harvard Business review found that 64% of consumers form their loyalty to brands based on shared values. And this perspective is only gaining more traction as Research from McKinsey & Company found that the “defining characteristics” of the market’s youngest consumers – Generation Z -“are to search for truth [and] authenticity.”     

Steven Ware made a tongue in cheek reference to the “fearmongering” going around about those born after 1995 when he wrote for Truscribe: “They don’t check their email, they have the attention span of a gnat, and they’re killing any business that isn’t online.”  

But he rightly asks: “It can’t be that bad, can it?”  

The consensus reached amongst industry experts at the recent GDS CMO North America and CMO EU Digital Summits was: It’s not bad; just different. 

“The most important generation is not the generation that spends the most. It’s the Gen Zs, because they are the most influential generation ever,” noted Aïda Moudachirou-Rébois, SVP and Global Chief Marketing Officer at Mac Cosmetics.  

“[Gen Zs] inform and educate their parents and grandparents. They know what they want, and they will be the main generation in 10 years from now. So, it’s so important for brands to keep an eye on what will be mainstream tomorrow.” 

The question is: Do you know what your consumers expect from you, and are you authentically conveying your intention to leave the world in a better place than you found it?

Identify What Matters

According to a June 2022 Statista survey that asked respondents which social issues they wanted more brands to support in 2022, 47% prioritized environmental issues and sustainability, followed by 45% who spotlighted racial equality.  

Note that consumer focus on environmental, social and governance issues is not entirely altruistic: According to Accenture, 72% of consumers say external factors such as inflation, social movements and climate change are impacting their lives more than in the past.  

So, it is time to step back and simply ask “How are we helping?” 

When In Doubt, Keep It Relevant

Faced with a long list of causes in need of attention, the temptation for brands can be to take them all on. But budgets, expertise and effort spread too thinly make little real-world impact.  

In her opening keynote at the GDS CMO Europe Digital summit, HSBC UK’s Chief Marketing Officer, Becky Moffat emphasized HSBC’s focus on issues that are directly financially related:  

“Focus on things that are close to your core – in order to demonstrate where you can make a difference rather than saying a little bit about lots of things. So, HSBC focusses on things like fraud and financial education…. Things you would expect from a Bank.”  

Moffat’s sentiment is crucial: Channel your brand’s existing credibility and expertise towards its societal contributions to ensure the most valuable outcome.  

Authenticity Through Long-Term Commitment

If you keep something up for long enough, it only becomes harder to deny your commitment.  

With this in mind, Mac Cosmetics’ SVP and Global Chief Marketing Officer, Aïda Moudachirou-Rébois, shared a key case-study when she outlined the impacts of Mac’s “Viva Glam” campaign.  

Starting in 1994, the range has raised over half a billion US dollars for people affected with HIV/Aids through 100% giveback from the purchase of a Viva Glam lipstick. 

“The idea was very simple,” Aïda explained. “Our founders were shocked by the AIDS pandemic, yet nobody was talking about it and those affected were on the fringes of society.”  

The campaign centered around a product that can be “seen on everybody” to pull the cause out of the shadows and into the mainstream.  

Importantly, Aïda identified that AIDS is not seen as such a dangerous taboo anymore, with the development of various treatments. But MAC Cosmetics continues to positively impact 19 million people affected every year with the Viva Glam fund.  

Mac have maintained a long-term and unwavering commitment to a cause – that oscillates in and out of public discourse – as a testament to their continued allyship to those affected.  

Show Up and Stop Box-Ticking

A major pitfall brands encounter – highlighted by Denise L. Bennett, VP of Brand Strategy & Idea Lab at iHeart Media – is displaying allyship or support out of convenience: 

“Black History Month and Hispanic Heritage Month are convenient times to show your commitment and affinity to specific demographics… But I’m just as black in August as I am in February; I still have the same needs.” 

If your messaging and societal input towards racial equality peaks around Black History month, and falls silent throughout the rest of the year, can you truly call this an authentic societal endeavour?  

Tip: Take care that your brand’s approach and language do not claim to “save the day.” 
A common faux pas is to position your brand as a ‘saviour’ to your target audience. This can position your audience as recipients of “pity” instead of “partners.” 

While today’s savvy, socially engaged and globally informed consumers present brand leaders with the toughest precedents, they also offer an opportunity: They are clear in their pursuit for brands with purpose and authenticity. What’s more, they don’t expect one organization to solve all the world’s problems.  

Indeed, Accenture found that 60% of consumers say their priorities keep changing as a result of everything going on in the world. So, find your core focus(es), endeavour to align them with your brand strategy, and retain a disciplined level of commitment to them – regardless of trends and seasons.  

GDS Summits are tailored 3-day virtual event conferences that bring together business leaders and solution providers to accelerate sales cycles, industry conversations and outcomes. Regarding the CMO Digital Summit 75% of Delegates said the Digital Summit provided them with actionable outcomes to support their current initiatives​.  

For more, click here to hear from attendees on how GDS has helped them to achieve their business outcomes.