Woke Marketing

Image Credits: John Karel

Indian news publishers are banking on a newfound recipe for delivering masala filled content—failed woke marketing campaigns by the big shots. For the audience not familiar with the woke model, it’s a strategy wherein brands leverage consumer sensitivity and opinions on current happenings for product promotion. The issue could be anything under the sky—entertainment, politics, socio-economic matters, etc. The advertisements of Dove are synonymous with this marketing strategy; the brand focuses on racial discrimination, a dark chapter in world history. However, viewers are split on the response with some thoroughly impressed by the bold initiative and others utterly disgusted by Dove’s gimmick. If this example has piqued your interest, then trust me, there are umpteen other stories on the internet you should read now.  

Before diving in further, let me discuss woke marketing briefly to ensure the reader doesn’t go astray. Documented history shines light on the Americans as the pioneers of woke advertisements, selling on the quintessential ‘American dream’ concept during the great depression of the nineteenth century. Moving a few decades ahead to the seventies and eighties, political upending across the globe (Ronald Regan’s antics are discussed in the inner circles even today) allowed brands like Coca Cola to come up with contentious slogans and product launches. The marketing was effective enough to unite people in the name of beverages, giving Coke windfall profits and dominance over Pepsi in the Cola war. Speaking of the modern-day, ‘woke washing’, urban slang for publicity via associating with a cause, has picked up pace and popularity; it’s now a primary arsenal in the marketing toolbox. 

I could go on with a plethora of other case studies, but these seem enough to emphasize the presence of woke marketing. Brands need to focus on how to play with this double-edged sword. The strategy helps rake in the moolah and works for some organizations while for the others, it’s the easy way to downfall. The failure stories are the endgame of not playing the woke card cautiously.

Like any brand-conscious consumer out there, I’m not impervious to the influence companies exert through marketing. So, I now put forth a few words of enlightenment for organizations indulging in brand activism or toying with the consumers’ sentiments—to save themselves from the backlash of a disastrous marketing attempt. First and foremost, companies should go with woke branding if and only if their product or service consummates with the message they want to deliver. Gillette in the beginning of 2019 released a short film on YouTube with the slogan ‘the best men can be’. The ad failed spectacularly and ended up in the list of the most disliked videos on YouTube! Hell, moderators of Gillette’s channel even started deleting brutally honest comments on the video. The company should have resorted to making men’s grooming products instead of preaching how men should behave.

Secondly, brands should analyze the sensitivity of the topic they want to demonstrate their stance on. For example, woke marketing on a cow, pig, etc. in India means the death knell for the brand. Similarly, a plan of liberalism-centered marketing in a country like Saudi Arabia is not worth the time and money. Brands should get the stats on demographics right before aligning with customer values.

The field of statistics lays great emphasis on the terms "sample" and "population". A sample is a small section representative of the population in general. And this brings me to the third suggestion. I’m sure creative designers take feedback from the brand’s loyal fanbase before scaling the advertising campaign’s reach. The success/failure of the campaign greatly depends on the feedback received. I humbly request any marketing executive reading this to consider diversity and inclusion when choosing the sample for reviewing the campaign. The review is imperative for last-minute improvements before the advertisement goes live. While the sample won’t be a mirror image of the global population’s reaction, it won’t be a bland simulacrum.

On a concluding note, we viewers shouldn’t be overly sensitive to woke marketing. Take such advertisements with a grain of salt. And no, I’m not siding with the advertisers on this topic. They need to understand the implications of toying with the consumer’s feelings. Sympathize with the audience, but only within limits. And never take an ambiguous stand for it crushes the brand’s individuality!

PS: This article of mine was published in the 21st edition of Markezine (August 2019) - the official marketing magazine of IMT Ghaziabad. You can find the certificate I received for this in my Recognition post.