There was a time, not so long ago, when television networks were limited and newspapers flourished. Brands ruled the airwaves using clever advertising slogans to capture attention—Good to the Last Drop, The Quicker Picker Upper, or Tastes Great, Less Filling. Fast forward to today’s much broader digital landscape where shoppers have a seemingly unlimited range of options for consuming information. It’s not surprising that consumers are a bit more skeptical of larger brands. And despite spending millions of dollars on advertising, many brands are finding that it takes more than catchy idioms to make real and meaningful connections.
A younger (and more technically savvy) generation is looking to engage with brands that share its values and beliefs—and this change is having an impact across other age groups. According to new research studies from Sprout Social and Edelman, brands that take a stand have a much greater chance of being successful with today’s enlightened “belief-driven” consumers.
In the Championing Change in the Age of Social Media study, Sprout Social surveyed more than 1,000 U.S. consumers and found that two-thirds (66 percent) say it’s important for brands to take public stands on social and political issues. Consumers say they want brands to do what they cannot do alone—impact social and political change through significant donations or use their substantial platforms to encourage others to do the same. In fact, consumers’ most common emotional reactions to brands taking a stand on social media were positive, with “intrigued,” “impressed” and “engaged” emerging as the top three reactions.
In an annual global study stretching across eight countries including the United States, Edelman charted the rise of “belief-driven buyers,” those who choose, switch, avoid or boycott a brand based on its stand on societal issues. In 2018, the study found that 64 percent of consumers surveyed are belief-driven buyers (similar to the Sprout Study results), an increase of 13 points from 2017. Depending on the issue, these buyers will either choose brands that express their beliefs or be willing to change their purchase behavior based on a brand’s stand.
These findings correlate to brands’ financial performance. Research carried out by Havas shows that meaningful brands have outperformed the stock market by 206 percent over the last 10 years. This is a clear response to the new reality of meeting consumers’ rising expectations.
Share Your Values Visibly
Sixty percent of consumers agreed that brands should make it easier to see company values and positions when shoppers are about to make a purchase.
A good example is Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. The brand has become synonymous with issues such as climate change, positioning its products to reflect the company’s ideals while encouraging authentic social activism. Combining social media outreach with grassroots marketing efforts, Ben & Jerry’s connects with consumers in creative ways as shown with its “SOS: Save Our Swirled” ice cream packaging. The brand invites shoppers to participate in taking a stance on social issues while seeking to make the world a better place. From the beginning, social responsibility has been central to the Ben & Jerry’s vision and mission, which is why consumers view the company as being real and authentic.
How EFI Helps Growers Take a Stand
Fresh produce grower-shippers are well-positioned in this digital age of belief-driven buyers. The Sprout Social study found that human rights and labor issues ranked the highest among the top leading social issues that consumers want brands to take a stand on.
Agricultural companies should consider more deeply what taking a stand means to the organization, how it aligns with company values and how to build on good work they are already doing, as well as ponder the appearance of the message they wish to convey.
Equitable Food Initiative’s (EFI) workforce development approach helps growers become more invested in making a difference through their business and operations. EFI-certified farms use Leadership Teams to develop a deeper understanding of worker rights and place a higher value on worker voices and knowledge. These investments lead to an increase in workers’ self-esteem and a culture of continuous improvement.
EFI’s Responsibly Grown, Farmworker Assured™ label on certified growers’ fruit and vegetable packaging informs consumers that these organizations have taken a stand on improving the lives of farmworkers while helping to prevent food safety issues.
As Eve Turow Paul, millennial food culture expert and author, explains, “Those who grow our food are the true change-agents. Farmers make innumerable choices every day that can have beneficial or grave effects on the health of soil, water, air and physical well-being. As such, consumers are increasingly putting their money where their values are—toward brands and products they trust, and that support farmers who use methods that comfort the shopper.”
For more information on bringing EFI’s workforce development to your operation to help you define and take a stand in a way that will resonate with consumers, visit www.equitablefood.org.
