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Marketing Unity

11/14/2020

13 Comments

 
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by David Hagenbuch - professor of Marketing at Messiah University -
​author of 
Honorable Influence - founder of Mindful Marketing​

In his first speech after news media declared him the election winner, Joe Biden urged Americans to “come together as a nation,” “unite,” and “heal.”  Those are commendable words with admirable intent, but given the deep divisions besetting the country, is it realistic to believe that any individual or organizational rhetoric can restore national harmony? 
 
Among those with a keen interest in the current social climate are marketers.  At a minimum, they want to demonstrate that their organizations are in step with public sentiment.  Even better, they’d like to suggest they’re leading the charge for positive societal change.
 
Over recent years, we’ve witnessed dozens of companies advertise their support for causes that have included immigration reform, gender equality, and racial justice.  Even with a change in the Oval Office, the social unrest that fueled these and other movements is likely to continue, in part because America is so ideologically divided.
 
Despite the state of the nation, only half of marketers have specific plans that account for such social unrest.  Furthermore, those with strategies may be working from flawed assumptions, at least if they’re following examples like that of Gap. 
 
The clothing company recently tweeted its wide-eyed desire for red and blue voters to “come together.”  It quickly deleted the tweet, however, after considerable backlash accused the firm of “tone-deafness and words that were not backed up by action.”
 
As Pepsi’s failed ‘protest’ commercial featuring Kendall Jenner showed, consumers don’t like when companies just pay lip service to social concerns.  People want firms to act on their supposed convictions and walk the walk, not just talk the talk.
 
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The question, then, is:  How marketers, whether they’re individuals or organizations, move beyond words to unifying actions?  Here are six suggestions:
 
1.  Separate individuals from issues:  Some people have a hard time putting a partition between the things others say and those who say them.  As a result, disagreements over issues often descend into personal attacks that undermine unity, e.g., “Well, if you believe that, you’re an idiot.”
 
If it’s hard to coexist on social media with someone whose opinions are very different than your own, imagine being married to that person.  That’s exactly the union that liberal-leaning James Carville and conservatively-inclined Mary Matalin represent.  Despite very strong ideological differences, the famous pair of political consultants have a long and happy marriage because they love and respect the other person.  Issues are not the individual.
 
2. Genuinely listen:  Anyone who argues that listening isn’t a real action probably hasn’t done much serious listening.  It takes patience and focus to listen well, and even greater skill to effectively communicate to others that you’ve heard and understood them.
 
To its credit, Pepsi recognized its error with the Jenner ad and has made “social listening” a top priority.  According to vice president of marketing Todd Kaplan, the company now actively identifies and seeks to understand specific “cultural truths,” which determine the brand, not vice versa.  The company has made careful listening a prerequisite for action.
 
3.  Find common ground:  When confronted with controversy, too often people run to their ideological corners, from which they launch long-range attacks on their adversaries—an approach that is alienating, to say the least.  On the other hand, when people first identify points of agreement, communication tends to unfold much more favorably for all.
 
In sales, one of the most difficult things is to ‘cold call’ prospective clients—"I don’t know you, you don’t know me, but here I am.”  However, it’s amazing how quickly the temperature of such interactions warms when the salesperson and prospect come across someone/something they have in common, e.g., a shared acquaintance, the place they grew up, a favorite sports team, etc.  Shared affinities and experiences, as well as beliefs, lay a foundation for mutual respect.
 
4.  Show humility: There’s little more socially off-putting than unabashed arrogance—individuals who are very ‘full of themselves,' often insisting they’re right, and suggesting they can do no wrong.  Such an “I’m above you” attitude implies an uncomfortable hierarchy that undercuts unity.
 
In contrast, there are others who are brilliant, talented, experts in their fields, yet readily admit that they don’t have all the answers and acknowledge that they sometimes make mistakes.  Despite the greater gulf that probably exists between us and them, it’s this latter group that makes us feel more valued and welcomed.
 
5.  Practice hospitality:  We forget the vast majority of things that people say to us, but we tend to remember for a long time even the small acts of kindness that people do for us.  It’s been more than 20 years, but I still remember when, shortly after the birth of our son, my department chair stopped by our home to visit and drop off a meal that his wife had made for us.
 
I’ve also been a grateful recipient of notes of encouragement, such as one I received recently from a student who wanted to express thanks for the special efforts faculty members have made to teach during the pandemic.  Great or small, such hospitable acts bring people together, physically, figuratively, or both.
 
6.  Laugh:  If you notice a couple that never laughs, it’s likely a relationship on the rocks.  People who are on good terms, tend to joke with each other.  In fact, even more than a sign of healthy relationships, laughing together helps build social bonds.
 
Two colleagues and I recently conducted a study that looked at “playful teasing” in television commercials.  Among other results, we found high means for ‘liking’ and ‘recall’ of ads that contained friendly joking, even when the ribbing crossed racial lines.
 
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Saying the right words and avoiding the wrong ones is important for many persuasive purposes; however, if words were what motivated most, there wouldn’t be so many sayings like these:
  • Actions speak louder than words.
  • I’ll believe it when I see it. 
  • Don’t just tell me, show me. 
  • Talk is cheap. 
  • Don’t trust words, trust actions.
  • You are what you do, not what you say. 
  • Well done is better than well said. 
  • Pay less attention to what people say. Just watch what they do. 
  • Words are from the lips; actions are from the heart. 
  • A promise is a cloud; fulfillment is rain.

Marketing is about bringing people with related needs together for mutually beneficial exchange.  Whether those exchanges happen for economic reasons or other reasons, each exchange encourages participants to bond, but only if the marketer models unity.
 
More specifically, marketing communication must rest on a foundation of supportive action, such as the six suggestions listed above.  Unfortunately, this article is just words, but hopefully it serves as a reminder that behaviors that build unity are among the best examples of “Mindful Marketing.”


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13 Comments
Alli Cassel
11/21/2020 03:14:37 pm

I really enjoyed this Mindful Marketing blog post. I believe this is a topic that needs discussion more than ever right now in our country. However, most times the question is about the right way to do it. I think the six suggestions listed in this blog post are a great way for marketers to start as they brainstorm different marketing ideas. People nowadays want companies and people to walk the walk instead of just talk the talk, and if marketers start focusing on and trying to implement these ways, it will not only help their marketing but more importantly build relationships with their publics.

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Camron Good
11/21/2020 03:42:33 pm

I believe overall, companies should try and stay out of social issues as much as they can. I believe if a company takes a firm stance in any direction of an issue, there will be major backlash no matter what. It may not have the best look to try and stay neutral on a matter, but I believe that staying neutral will have less consequences in the long run than taking a firm stance on either side of a dangerous argument.

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Abby Wertz
11/23/2020 03:35:55 pm

I think this Mindful Marketing post was really interesting because it covered several different ads and delineated how an ad can be effective and not offensive or fall short of what companies intend. I definitely agree that Pepsi's protest ad fell short of expectations, especially with how much ridicule it got. In a similar way, celebrities singing "Imagine" at the beginning of quarantine also offended the general public. Before releasing media, companies and individuals need to evaluate the feelings of their target market about key issues.

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Rebecca
11/23/2020 05:39:28 pm

I found this Mindful Marketing post interesting because of its relevance to social issues happening today. I never really thought about how the social climate impacts marketers and influences their decisions. I think the six suggestions made in the article are spot on and make really good points. Separating individuals from issues can be really hard nowadays because of the passion that many individuals have for their own views. Genuinely listening is also extremely important and can often be forgotten nowadays. By following the six steps mentioned, I think marketers can move towards making a real change in their own environment and in the social climate.

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Garrett
11/23/2020 06:37:41 pm

I think companies should strive to stay neutral. At this point, regardless of what side they stand on, making a political statement is going to get a company crucified by individuals who can't tolerate others having different opinions than them. Just seems like a lose-lose to me, because either way there will be backlash and people that will boycott the company if they support a particular side.

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Jordan Garrison
11/23/2020 07:02:00 pm

I believe the public is being ridiculous in fighting and arguing with companies who try to remain neutral politically. They should not have to voice their opinions and I think it is good when companies try to remain neutral and unite people across the country.

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Rachel Beatty
11/24/2020 10:27:46 am

I have often wondered how companies can go beyond words and step into action. This post was interesting. Would it be wise of marketers of products like Pepsi to steer away from politicized marketing? It is difficult for companies to move into the realm of action past idealistic claims.

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Pierson Castor
11/24/2020 11:13:34 am

I think the best of the ads listed was the Amazon dancing ad. It was a reminder that we are all sacrificing things during this unprecedented season; still, we are blessed. It was also an encourager that we should be thinking about others more than ourselves, looking for opportunities to help. While I don't know how effective it'll be in creating shareholder value, there is no doubt it upholds and promotes societal values.

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Ashley Niebauer
11/24/2020 11:25:31 am

I really enjoyed this post, I thought it was very interesting. I do not understand why people would want companies to take sides in politics. I think that it is for the betterment of society, and business if companies continue to remain neutral during election time. Companies really do not have an impact on an election, so why should they voice their political views in the first place?

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Skylar Emert
11/24/2020 01:09:11 pm

This post provided a whole new perspective and served as a really good reminder for me when engaging with people around me concerning the realm of politics. The political divide in our country recently has been really weighing on my heart and has strained a lot of my relationships in the midst of the election. I agree that it is to society's benefit for companies to not take very specific sides on controversial, political issues. To keep the country united, it is best to leave politics to the politicians and keep the concept of American unity present in companies' marketing strategies.

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