The events of the past year or so have underscored the urgency of our social and environmental responsibilities, though these are issues we’ve long been facing. It makes sense, then, that some consumers are skeptical of brands’ timely focus on social impact initiatives; are a brand’s efforts genuine, long-term goals or simply surface-level activities for show? We tapped the experts in the social impact PR, marketing and design fields for their take on an industry they’ve been supporting for years. Read on for their commentary on what makes an authentic campaign, how they counsel their clients and top takeaways to effect lasting change.
For agencies that have always focused their business on bettering the world, this has been a particularly busy time. “The past year has brought into sharp relief some of the issues that No. 29 has been committed to since we started the company nearly eight years ago: sustainability, impact and social justice,” says No. 29 co-founder Melody Serafino. “The difference now is that social media has provided a direct medium to speak out on these issues and brands are starting to understand the importance of taking a stance because their consumers are paying attention to how they respond. The challenge is to ensure that an Instagram post isn’t performative, but backed by real, measurable action. There have been moments when we’ve advised our clients to take a step back and give space to others whose stories should take precedence.”
Echoing Green, courtesy Madeo
Alex Carter, Senior Strategist at Madeo, a creative studio with a focus on social impact, shares the way their work with nonprofits and socially-focused brands have similarly shifted. “Across the board, there’s a sense of renewed urgency for websites, social media, and any other digital faces of an organization to be reviewed and refreshed. A lot of the hesitations of ‘let’s just do it next year’ sentiment is gone because the online audience interacting with social impact organizations has exploded, and are bringing with them a huge demand for active and dynamic online engagement,” he says. “Clients in the space are enthusiastically investing in their digital teams and tools to address new opportunities for advocacy and building momentum for change.”
Of course, these teams have also seen an influx of new client interest, as brands become more and more aware that their values (and their profitability) are under a microscope. “The biggest trend I’m seeing is one in which companies (that aren’t social enterprises) are recognizing the opportunities available for creating hope while also making a profit,” explains Tanya Rivas, the founder of PR with Heart. “‘Hope’ and ‘profit’ are not mutually exclusive. The data is there. Consumers expect companies to give back, and people are making purchasing decisions based on the issues and causes they advocate for. This is the time for businesses and organizations to step up.”
Which leads us to the question of the year: how can brands step up and build on social initiatives in an authentic way? “It starts at the core, or as we like to say: ‘the vision/values/mission control center,’” says The Virtue Project co-founder Shannon de Laat. “Clients often come to us not knowing where to start, what steps need to be taken to ‘pull up,’ as that is now the expectation for all businesses, big and small. Our re:Purpose ProcessTM assesses the perception of the company from the inside out (brand deep dive into mission/vision/values/purpose, stakeholder audit, DEI assessment) and peels back the layers to establish a baseline from which to build a meaningful social impact strategy.” For a brand to be successful, consumers and employees need to feel connected to the cause the organization is serving. This process provides purpose-driven guidelines for establishing what causes make the best business and societal sense for them.”
CADA Consult client BLAQUE is creating the first fitness space designed for the Black community. They are launching both a digital platform, to serve as a resource for movement-based-wellness globally, and their first physical location in NYC.
Another strategy: humanize your brand. “We sometimes forget that behind a brand or a company, there are people. Showcasing the team actively participating in these social initiatives is really important,” says Juliana Mejia, co-founder and CEO at Cada Consult. “Storytelling is key, but actions speak louder. People want to see video content and hear about the experience. So whether it’s a short video, a podcast/Clubhouse, or a newsletter that includes a personal note, there are several ways to directly connect with the audience and elevate the social mission.”
"Consumers are more critical of brands than ever before, and they are expert internet sleuths. As such, identifying and staying true to your core values cannot be stressed enough. "Companies seeking to create or allocate resources toward social initiatives should ensure the cause aligns with their values,” says Heather Resnicoff, Senior Vice President, Technology & Innovation at BerlinRosen. “For example, one of Audible’s (a BerlinRosen client) core principles is to support economic development in the communities in which it operates. Since moving its headquarters to Newark, N.J. in 2007, Audible has been a strong partner for the community, creating opportunities for city residents with multiple initiatives, such as high school internships, its Live Local, Buy Local and Hire Local programs as well as its ‘Next Chapter’ Returnship program.”
She continues, “Audible launched Newark Working Kitchens (NWK) in April 2020 as a COVID response. NWK helps keep 30 local restaurants open and has sustained hundreds of jobs as the staff prepare and deliver free, nutritious meals to more than 10,000 low-income seniors, families and the homeless. By delivering these meals directly to Newarkers considered at greatest risk of suffering severe complications, NWK has helped minimize potential exposure at a time when Newark’s COVID-19 cases were among the highest in the state and the country. With NWK, Audible has created a replicable and scalable model for addressing food insecurity at the local level through philanthropy."
PR with Heart worked alongside the community to empower younger girls from the Shinnecock Indian Reservation to be change agents by packing boxes of groceries. These were then distributed by the girls and the non-profit spearheading the initiative to deliver these to food-insecure families in response to the pandemic.
Community is a pillar in social impact, one that can be damaged if the right precautions aren’t taken. “The key is finding community partners to build with in order to draw up sustainable solutions together,” says Rivas. “Some communities don’t want or need the help, and that’s an aspect to evaluate first. The next step is identifying the leaders that should be invited to the table, since their voices represent the communities and cultures they serve. In order to build rapport from the ground up, know that how you relate to that community is going to make or break any work. If these steps aren’t followed, it’s possible to create more harm than good for the intended recipients. Take TOMS and their shoe drops, for example. You can’t knock how they revolutionized the one-for-one model, however, they ran local shoe vendors out of business as a consequence from not implementing social impact relations.”
Our experts all agree that lasting change must happen both at the corporate and the consumer level. “[Change] needs to come from a genuine desire for it from the top, and it also needs to be inclusive of a wide range of stakeholders — listening to your team who closely interact with your external audiences and understand their interests, and by listening to the community that you’re trying to serve through your social initiatives,” says Carter.
The most meaningful work here is not a one-off project; it’s an ongoing investment and once these initiatives are defined and teams are aligned, the work really begins. As Serafino shares, "Show up authentically, honestly and consistently. It’s not about one day of support. The brands that are committed to the work show up the other 364 days a year."
Yes, it’s certainly a high-stakes time, but find comfort in the fact that we are all learning and growing together. “How we do business with each other, with our clients and partners has to be guided by the same compass: use empathy to empower others, engage transparently and honestly (and add a healthy dose of cheekiness to keep it real),” says de Laat. “This work can be personal, vulnerable, and it’s important to us that we lead it with open, judgement-free arms!”
The Virtue Project
Finally, as we all pitch in to find creative solutions that benefit the greater good, remember that social impact work doesn’t only happen in the office or on a Zoom meeting. Whether you’re a business leader or an employee, you’d be smart to heed Mejia’s advice: “change your lifestyle to reflect the values and services of your business.”
