How to effectively communicate brand activism

Abstract

Given the growing expectations on the part of stakeholders for brands to assume greater responsibility towards social issues, it would be expected that most brand campaigns taking an active position on relevant socio-political issues, as is the case with brand activism campaigns, would receive positive feedback from the public. However, there is evidence that brand activism is not always a winning strategy for brands, and can even harm them, especially if the communication of activist campaigns is not efficient, is not aligned with the brand's conduct or stakeholder’s values or is not considered authentic. In this way, various authors advocate a strategic approach to brand activism, in which companies seek to have an impact on a socio-political level without losing business performance. Based on an extensive review of the most prominent literature in the area and real examples of successful and unsuccessful activist brand communications, this article explores a strategic aspect to brand activism, providing insights into how brands can effectively communicate the causes they defend. Since brand activism remains a non-consensual concept in the business world, this literature review aims to contribute to the debate on how brands can positively engage in brand activism, obtaining greater support from all stakeholders.