Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
When should brands take a stand? Should brands take a stand at all, especially in emotionally and politically charged issues?
Much has been said and written about “wokewashing” - a regrettable trend exhibited by companies that superficially adopt social justice or progressive values to appear socially conscious. Many will also use language and imagery as a form of virtue signalling to appeal to a particular demographic without backing any of it up with substantive actions or policies.
There are examples of brands that meaningfully back up the promises they make - or positions they take - concerning socially, politically, or emotionally charged topics, but these are rare.
I was recently invited to offer a perspective on Bruce Whitfield’s Money Show on Radio 702 on brands that express an opinion on or take a stand regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict. As I write this, I am deeply aware of how unimaginably traumatic this conflict continues to be, not just for those directly affected by it but also for millions and even billions of people connected to it across the world.
I am not an expert on global geopolitics, but we at 48H are well-placed to offer brands a framework for navigating complex social and political issues. We support and endorse freedom of speech and the right of private companies to engage their employees on topics as they see fit, provided their approach does not infringe on the rights of those same employees in turn.
Our view is that brands should avoid aligning themselves politically in most cases (especially those with any risk of wokewashing.) If the organisation can see no other way than to take a public position on this or any issue, we encourage them to ask themselves these three questions.
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Is our company authorised and credible to offer a view on this topic or join the conversation? If yes, then:
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What are your motives? What are you doing it for, and what are you hoping to achieve? If yes, then:
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Have you considered all the risks? Are you prepared to weather the commercial fallout - anticipated and unanticipated - of taking such a principled stance?
If you cannot answer yes to all of these questions, then it is better (in the interest of protecting your company’s reputation, people’s jobs, and your longevity) to stay silent.