In the last few years, systemic social and political issues have made their way into the advertising spotlight. From the #MeToo movement to LGBT+ Pride and Black Lives Matter, brands have found ways to join the conversation — some in less delicate ways than others. Fighting injustice is always a worthy cause, but without significant contributions to these movements, these efforts just appear hypocritical.
In an era when consumers are increasingly aware of their favorite companies’ socially conscious efforts, you must avoid “woke-washing” or you’ll risk losing their support.
What is woke-washing, anyway?
“Woke-washing” refers to when companies temporarily adopt a stance on a pressing social issue to capitalize on their audience’s social consciousness, rather than inspire actual change. For example, if you’re showing support for the Black Lives Matter movement, you should probably make sure your company’s leadership isn’t completely devoid of diversity. Words are easy; change is harder.
In contrast, consider how Quaker Oats recently announced that it would be changing the name and logo of its Aunt Jemima brand after years of callouts about how the breakfast food line encouraged racial stereotypes. It’s not easy to replace a brand that has had global recognition for over a century, but in this case, Quaker Oats chose what was right over what was easy, and that’s far more significant than a catchy slogan about togetherness.
You can’t solve racism with a candy bar
In a spectacular example of blatant woke-washing, in 2019 candy maker Cadbury revealed the Unity Bar, which combined four different kinds of chocolate in an effort to “celebrate a country that stands united in its diversity” on India’s Independence Day. After calling it “India’s first chocolate with dark, blended, milk and white chocolate all under one wrap” in a tweet, Cadbury was excoriated on Twitter and across the internet. As it turns out, a multi-colored chocolate bar isn’t enough to solve centuries-old issues surrounding systemic racism — who knew?
The problem in this example isn’t that Cadbury brought a serious issue to light; it’s that the company did it in such a trivial way. Even if that chocolate bar was created with good intentions, the final product was regarded as an insulting way to cash in on prevalent social issues.
Think about your customers, not what’s trending
Before hopping on the latest hashtag, you need to make sure you can really back up your efforts with concrete actions and initiatives. That doesn’t mean you should ignore these issues entirely. Not only are they important to your customers, but it’s also never wrong to take a stand against clear social injustices and support equality.
Instead of looking for an immediate business boost, think of it as a long-term marketing strategy, a new project to take on, and make sure you follow through. This way, you can avoid woke-washing while giving customers reasons to feel good about sticking with your company in the long run.
