The Revolution Will Be Commercialized
Brands have always capitalized on societal trends. But many covet the prospect of having a deeper relevance, so they weave cultural trigger points into their messages.
In 1968 I had really long bangs. My haircut was modeled after Sandy, from the TV show “Flipper”. That haircut, a paisley nehru collared shirt from Sears, and a huge peace sign medallion from Spencer’s Gifts made me feel like I was participating in the 60’s revolution from my suburban home in Louisville, Kentucky.
I didn’t know it then, but I was a perfect poster boy for the mass commercialization of hippie counter-culture.
Brands have always capitalized on societal trends. But many covet the prospect of having a deeper relevance, so they weave cultural trigger points into their messages. This is a risky line to toe. It’s very easy to be seen as trivializing them, or worse, profiteering from them.
Just ask Pepsi. #Resist-washing is the new green-washing.
Many of us feel deeply jarred by the current climate of political upheaval and global unrest. Brands, striving to be relevant in our lives are trying to show us they care. But can you show me you care without trying to sell me soda simultaneously?
photo credit: public domain advertisement
Our Brand Is Crisis
Brands that are built on celebrity rise and fall on the actions of the ambassador’s associations. When that persons name becomes synonymous with a chaotic and negative narrative, is it any wonder the brand is damaged?
A friend of mine works at Nordstrom in design. She posted on Facebook that she and her co-workers received an email from the three Nordstrom brothers condemning the Muslim ban. In it they reiterated their “values of diversity, inclusion, respect and kindness” to their employees of which “thousands…are first and second generation immigrants”. A buoyant and positive brand narrative.
Days later (in a ‘totally unrelated move’) Nordstrom dropped the Ivanka Trump line. The POTUS sent out a condemning tweet. Kellyanne Conway went on FOX News asking the viewers to buy her boss’s daughter’s products. Federal laws were possibly broken. Apologies were made. Then rescinded. Pretty much a PR disaster.
After taking a slight hit as a result of the tweet, Nordstrom’s stock price did something interesting. It went up. A lot. So did sales. It seems that valuing and protecting the people that work for you is good for business.
Brands that are built on celebrity rise and fall on the actions of the ambassador’s associations. When that persons name becomes synonymous with a chaotic and negative narrative, is it any wonder the brand is damaged?
photo credit: Grégoire Lannoy @flickr.com