Build Meaningful Content from the Inside Out
Cheryl’s Cookies normally likes to talk about the joys of its buttercream delights and brownie bars. But a recent company email had nothing to do with cookies. Instead, Cheryl’s shared information about how people can manage their mental health more effectively. There was a time when it might have seemed out of place for a cookie company to turn its email marketing program into a forum for discussing mental health instead of its summer citrus sampler. But that time has long since gone by.
Cheryl’s Cookies is but one example of how businesses are increasingly devoting their marketing tactics to sharing meaningful content – or content that improves people’s lives and makes society better. We often refer to meaningful content as purpose-driven, too. Whatever term you use, it’s clear that businesses are sharing more of it, such as publishing information that makes life during a global pandemic more bearable, or taking a stand against social injustice.
As they do, they’re walking a fine line between connecting and alienating their audiences.
What’s Changed with Meaningful Content
Creating meaningful content is not new. For years, businesses have stepped up efforts to be good corporate citizens in actions and deeds. Examples are easy to find. Consider the many companies that incorporated sustainability/ESG into their global communications outreach, not to mention the actions they’ve taken to protect the future of the planet. Consider businesses such as Procter & Gamble, which created a powerful short film about racial prejudice, The Look, in 2019 — long before global unrest in 2020 caused businesses to openly and frankly discuss issues of race and inequality.
What’s changed is, well, 2020, a year that falls into a category all its own. In 2020, a devasting and unchecked virus has destroyed lives, frayed both bodies and minds, and threatened to bring the world to a halt. Then, in June, the death of George Floyd, captured on a mobile phone and shared with the world, has triggered unrest at a dramatic scale.
People Want Businesses to Make a Difference
In the wake of these roiling events, people want businesses to use their assets to make a difference. According to a study by Kantar, more than three-quarters (77 percent) of the general population say they would like to see brands talk about how they’re helpful in managing everyday life under COVID-19. According to Edelman, 60 percent of the general population believe that brands must take a stand to publicly speak out against racial injustice. That same 60 percent of Americans said that they will buy or boycott a brand based on if and how it responds to the current protests.
But Businesses Need to Be Thoughtful
But there’s a catch: businesses need to be very, very thoughtful in how they share meaningful content. Businesses that come across like they are trying to capitalize on these trying times to make a profit will pay a heavy price. Your audience will smell out an opportunistic, inauthentic gesture and call you on it. They’ll also challenge you to back your words with actions: speak out against racial inequality, and be prepared to answer to questions about your own company’s specific actions to address diversity and inclusion.
If you fail to measure up, be prepared to lose customers. According to the Zeno Group Strength of Purpose Study, 78 percent of the general population have taken action in response to a brand doing something they disagree with, whether no longer buying from that brand, switching to a competitor or dissuading others from purchasing or supporting that brand.
A Question of Trust
The question comes down to trust: does your meaningful content build trust or erode it? We believe that you improve your chances for building trust by working from the inside out – through your own people. Here are two questions to think about as you build a foundation of authenticity:
- What do my employees believe about this topic? How do employees feel about racial injustice, sustainability, or anything else that we would consider to be purpose-driven? Gauging the sentiment of your own employees will uncover areas of internal alignment and possible disagreement. Even better, you may spark a conversation inside your organization about an important issue and the role of your company addressing it.
- Am I involving all my people? How am I giving all my employees a platform to share their own ideas and questions, starting with my CEO on down? Do my people feel comfortable doing so? If not, why not? A faceless statement from a corporation feels less than human. People trust mirrored messaging that is consistent across departments, levels and regions people more than they do businesses.
Download our White Paper
We’ve just published a new white paper, 5 Strategies to Build Trust in Digital Communications, that shows brands how to build trust in many ways, including creating meaningful content. Based on our propriety research and client work, our white paper shares actionable tips on how to make your purpose and values resonate in a meaningful way. I invite you to download a copy – and create a stronger bond of trust that endures.