What is Woke-washing?
Brands who are profit-driven, will often try to shoehorn purpose into their communications to help drive sales.
But the modern consumer is smart enough to recognise when a brand jumps on to opportunistic marketing. Inauthentic brand messaging that jars with business is disingenuous and more damaging than staying neutral. Think fashion brands that churn out International Women’s Day t-shirts, yet don’t pay their female factory workers a fair wage. So-called ‘woke-washing’ is dangerous because it creates the appearance of stance without the substance of action. If you take a stand, run with it. Be uncompromising and consistent.
When your brand stance has depth, people are more likely to buy from you, stay loyal, become advocates, and defend the brand. It builds trust. This is especially true for younger generations. According to PR week, 60% of 18-34 years olds believe that brands need to do more in the fight against racism, for example. As time goes on, this is the generation who will hold buying power.