BRAND SUPPORT FOR BLACK LIVES MATTER
2020 has been the year of constant change. On top of the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, the murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers ignited a swarm of protests across the country not only demanding racial justice but calling on U.S. citizens and corporations to become more actively anti-racist.
While 73% of U.S. consumers believe product and service-based companies should put a stake in the ground to represent their values*, it doesn’t necessarily mean all consumers want brands taking a stand on every social issue. As we discussed in our annual State of Your Customer Report, brands must make sure the stand they take will resonate with their target audience and give them a deeper sense of identity with the brand, otherwise, it could backfire.
In our Resonate Recent Events Connected Flash Study: Wave Five, July 2020 Report, we asked respondents, How are you likely to react when you see a Consumer Brand showing support for the group Black Lives Matter or other protesters in the country? Below, we did a deep dive of two audiences: U.S. consumers who oppose brands supporting Black Lives Matter and other protests and U.S. consumers who want brands to support Black Lives Matter and other protests.
Having a deeper understanding of these two groups gives you the vital context to inform decisions on when, where and how to go to market during this complex time.
U.S. CONSUMERS WHO OPPOSE BRANDS ACTIVELY STANDING WITH BLACK LIVES MATTER AND OTHER PROTESTS
This segment made up of 42.3 million U.S. consumers is 56% male and 23% of them are between the ages of 45-54. They’re mostly married with no children under the age of 18, 32% of them have a college degree and their annual household income is between $25-50K. When it comes to their personal values, they’re 48% more likely than the average U.S. consumer to value maintaining traditions, 36% more likely to value safety in their community and nation and 34% more likely to put emphasis on obeying laws and fulfilling obligations. Their emphasis on tradition explains why they might not want a brand taking a stand on a social issue. Gen Xers grew up long before the rise of the purpose-led brand and they don’t expect much from companies besides the product or service they’re paying for. Their value of safety might explain why they don’t want brands supporting protests – as they might be concerned for their safety and well-being if they turn violent.
Source: Resonate Ignite Platform, July 2020
WHAT ARE THEIR SHOPPING PREFERENCES AND BEHAVIORS?
When it comes to corporate responsibility, this group is 83% more likely to prefer companies that have truthful ads, 35% more likely to prefer companies that are honest/trustworthy and 23% more likely to prefer companies that provide safe products. This group will likely abandon your brand if they believe your support of a social issue is inauthentic, as a company’s honesty is important to them. Again, we see their value of safety coming out in their preferences. When it comes to product attributes, they want items that are energy-efficient, trustworthy and dependable. As for consumer engagement activities, this segment is 40% more likely to research a product with many sources, 39% more likely to contact companies to share thoughts and 35% more likely to share their opinion of a product or company. When dealing with such a vocal segment, it’s important that you keep their preferences and behaviors top of mind, because if they don’t like something a brand produces or does, they have no problem letting them know. 31% of this group also regularly shares things on social media, so it’s possible that their opinion of a brand will end up on the internet.
Source: Resonate Ignite Platform, July 2020
WHERE CAN YOU FIND THEM ONLINE AND OFF?
When it comes to their media consumption, 39% of this segment spends 20-40 hours a week online. Their top social media networks are LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube. Their top paid streaming subscriptions are Showtime, Starz and ESPN+. When it comes to TV, you can find them watching Fox News, History Channel and Discovery. Consider focusing your spend on these digital touch points when you’re looking at ad placement. Where is this group concentrated geographically? Knowing where they reside is critical when thinking about locally focused ad spends and activation. According to Resonate’s proprietary geo data, these consumers are most likely to live Dallas, Houston and Tampa – St. Petersburg – Sarasota.
Source: Resonate Ignite Platform, July 2020
SO, WHAT ISSUES ARE THEY PASSIONATE ABOUT?
If your brand is itching to take a stand on a specific issue and it aligns with your brand values and mission, consider speaking out about one of the causes they’re most passionate about. While they may not want a brand speaking out specifically on Black Lives Matter, they’re 170% more likely to care about religious outreach, 127% more likely to care about care for veterans and 106% more likely to care about cancer and other terminal illnesses. Consider incorporating support for one of these initiatives into your marketing strategy if you want to win this segment over.
U.S. CONSUMERS WHO WANT BRANDS TO SUPPORT BLACK LIVES MATTER AND OTHER PROTESTS
This group made up of 45.8 million U.S. consumers is 55% female and 20% of them are ages 25-34. 52% of this group is married with no children, 34% of them have completed some college and 25% have an annual household income between $25-50K. When it comes to their personal values, they put the most emphasis on the freedom to be creative, living a life full of excitement and accepting those who are different. Their value of tolerance and acceptance is a clear driver as to why they want brands to join the Black Lives Matter movement. The idea that they want their life to consist of stimulating and challenging experiences also aligns with the idea that brands should be in support of protesting.
Source: Resonate Ignite Platform, July 2020
WHAT ARE THEIR SHOPPING PREFERENCES AND BEHAVIORS?
When it comes to corporate responsibility, this group is 132% more likely to prefer companies that reduce packaging, 96% more likely to prefer companies that treat employees fairly and 72% more likely to prefer companies that reduce energy use. They’re also 102% more likely to consider a brand’s reputation as a key factor in deciding where to shop. As for product attributes, this segment is 29% more likely to want a product that is produced sustainably, 27% more likely to prefer a product that is unique and 25% more likely to prefer a product that is the best-looking. As for consumer engagement activities, they’re 145% more likely to pay more based on an important issue and 78% more likely to engage in a company’s societal program. Clearly, this is a group who’s not afraid to speak with their wallets about the brands and retailers whose values don’t align with theirs, and in looking at Resonate’s Brand Affinity Report, their top brands are known for putting their customers’ values at the forefront of their marketing strategy. Their favorite retailers are Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, who make commitments to sustainable and eco-friendly practices.
Source: Resonate Ignite Platform, July 2020
WHERE CAN YOU FIND THEM ONLINE AND OFF?
When it comes to media consumption, 24% of this group spends 40+ hours a week online. Their most-used social media networks are Reddit, Snapchat and Twitter, and their top paid streaming subscriptions are HBO, Hulu Plus No Commercials and Hulu Plus. So, focus your ad spend across these digital touchpoints. In terms of network TV, you can find them watching Adult Swim, FX and Bravo. Geographically, this group is clustered in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, so when considering local ad spend, you’ll want to focus your resources in those urban areas.
Source: Resonate Ignite Platform, July 2020
WHAT ARE THEIR SOCIAL ISSUE ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES?
We know this segment is highly engaged when it comes to advocacy issues, but do you know their preferred method of civic engagement? According to Resonate’s proprietary data, this group is 157% more likely to write articles, 147% more likely to attend a rally or protest and 142% more likely to be active in a group. Their enthusiasm for attending rallies and protests is directly reflected in their need for brands to take a stand on BLM and other protests.
HOW TO EFFECTIVELY ALIGN CORPORATE AND CONSUMER VALUES
Your organization must have a deep understanding of your own beliefs, as well as your audience’s values, psychological drivers and preferred forms of expression, before taking a stand on a social issue. Neglecting to do so means potentially losing them as a customer to an authentically aligned competitor. Resonate’s up-to-the-moment, dynamic insights give you a deep, holistic understanding of who your customers and prospects are, what they value, the causes and issues they support, their shopping behaviors and their preferences as they evolve in real-time so your brand can thrive, and even gain a competitive edge, during this turbulent time.
Find out where your audience stands on social justice in our latest report, Americans Are Raising Their Voices. Are You Ready to Listen?
