To say we are living in challenging times is an understatement. The window to make meaningful strides against climate change is closing. Politically, we face deep ideological divides, just as people in more than 50 countries head to the polls to elect their leaders, as the AP reports.
Corporate, community, and government leaders have no shortage of worthy ideas to drive real change. But the challenge of motivating people to action stands between these ideas and the good they could achieve.
Brand marketers can play a pivotal role. Marketing gets its fair share of criticism: Salesy. Noisy. Disingenuous.
But marketers are experts at connecting people, solving problems, and rousing emotions to inspire action. They have a strong track record of steering companies to do the right thing. As leaders look to make meaningful change, they can learn from marketers how to do well and do good—stoking a spark into a flame.
When marketing works, it’s because it is authentic.
Authenticity Is Essential
When marketing works, it’s because it is authentic. Consumers’ trust in many institutions is at historic lows, so changemakers of all kinds must ensure their actions align with their purpose.
Look at Unilever-owned personal care brand Dove’s iconic “Campaign for Real Beauty.” Launched in 2004, the revolutionary campaign bucked beauty industry norms by embracing models of all body types, ages, and ethnicities—defying standards for the images of beauty that surround us in magazines, TV, and social media. The initiative gave rise to the award-winning Dove Self-Esteem Project, a confidence-building program that empowers young people to resist appearance pressures and unrealistic beauty standards. This continues Dove’s work to make beauty a positive experience for everyone, with the vision to help 250 million people through educational programs by 2030.
For changemakers, connecting purpose to passion has the potential to better the world, but it also can build trust—a rare asset in society today.
Create Meaningful Connections
Marketers are prolific partnership-builders, creating opportunity through mutual benefit. And carefully chosen, meaningful partnerships are the root of strong communities. When nurtured with intention, these connections grow, inspiring others to positive action.
For example, social platform LinkedIn has embraced data philanthropy to prepare the workforce for the future. Through an open-source data project called the Economic Graph, the company has transformed its proprietary data—workforce metrics involving 1 billion users, 67 million companies, millions of open jobs, and thousands of professional skills—into a digital representation of the global economy that governments, nongovernmental organizations, and researchers can use for public good.
Leaders in any industry or organization can learn from this example. Don’t shy away from the chance to harness your resources for the greater good. Be bold, step up to address issues that matter, and find ways your organization is uniquely positioned to bring people together to make an impact.
Be a Force for Growth and a Force for Good
Companies with marketing at the core of their growth strategy are twice as likely to see greater than 5 percent annual growth compared to their peers, according to a study from McKinsey & Co. While marketers can help companies thrive, they can simultaneously be a powerful force for good.
Take Mastercard’s work with Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C). The disease has devastated countless lives, and many people assume their actions are too small to make an impact. So for more than 10 years, we have partnered with SU2C to create a simple way to drive donations for cutting-edge cancer research through consumers’ everyday purchases. With every qualifying purchase, Mastercard makes a small donation to this worthy cause.
Combined with inspiring marketing campaigns about the power of collective action, we have leveraged our global network to make a tremendous financial impact: $70 million donated to date, mostly tallied one penny at a time. The business impact is also impressive, with purchases lifted during the campaign—and we’ve found that those same cardholders are more likely to use their Mastercard once the campaign has ended. A win-win by any definition.
Inspiring people to unite to support a critical cause is especially important as we work to bridge society’s divides. Strengthening our connections now with a shared purpose can heal in the present as we work toward a brighter future.