From women’s rights to race equality to ageism, brands are increasingly aligning themselves to social causes. But they must tread this territory carefully: if the message doesn’t feel authentic to the brand, companies run the risk of losing credibility with their consumers. At the same time, bypassing an opportunity to speak out on a topic – given how corporate responsibility factors into a customer’s path to purchase – can result in a blow to the brand’s reputation.

“Corporate social responsibility is coming more and more to the forefront of consumers’ minds, and there’s increasing data showing brands’ ideals and policies have an effect on consumer behaviour,” says Fulya Uygun, digital marketing expert and Bowery Boost co-founder. “If your brand isn’t taking a stand on issues that are pressing to its customers, it may lose their business. Larger corporations with a wide variety of customer demographics and values, however, may feel hesitant to align their brand with political or social movements for fear of alienating part of its customer base.”

So what’s a company to do when it recognizes just how powerful and meaningful its social positioning is, but isn’t sure how to approach speaking out in the right way? We tapped the experts to find out exactly how to balance this tricky, but important, strategy.

Less is more

Avoid the temptation to use your platform as a soapbox to let the world know your stance on every single social issue. “Brands that jump in on cultural moments – especially the more serious ones – without permission to play from a brand platform or product perspective, can come across as opportunistic,” says Kristy Pleckaitis, VP strategy at Broken Heart Love Affair.

But the magic happens when a brand can pinpoint what it stands for, and act when the time is right. “Brands should have a role in culture, but it should be measured and not over-reaching,” says Kim Tarlo, ECD at Mint. “If your target audience or customer is part of a group that’s negatively affected by these moments, this would be the perfect opportunity to show your brand’s support for its community,” says Uygun. “If your mission and values preach ideals of support or equality, your customers will notice if you stay silent.”

Walk the walk

Experts agree that your customer is wise and will see right through inauthentic marketing. “Talk is cheap,” says Pleckaitis. “Consumers can see right through performative action and are increasingly holding brands accountable for doing so.” She recommends CSR practices be woven through more aspects of a brand than just its marketing: “Brands, especially the biggest ones in the world, have a responsibility that is far greater than standing in solidarity, but using their platform to take the lead and affect real change,” she says.

Uygun agrees. “One-time actions or declarations without follow-through won’t help your brand in the eyes of consumers,” she says. “If your brand plans on taking a public stance, it had better have the track record to back it up.”

While marketing surrounding cultural moments then becomes its own dedicated brand strategy, there are long-term benefits. “[This type of marketing] done well can be embraced, and at the best of times, the work is even evangelized by consumers,” says Tarlo. One campaign that hit the mark for Tarlo was Sid Lee’s work for North Face. In 2017, when former President Donald Trump was advocating for a wall between the U.S. and Mexico, the North Face ad read “Walls are meant to be climbed.” In Tarlo’s eyes, this campaign allowed the brand’s already established ethos and context to shine, creating authentic messaging that tactfully reached its audience.

Keep your finger on the pulse

The moment to speak on a cultural issue can come fast and unpredictably. The best way to solidify your brand’s response when presented with a time to take a stand? Think ahead and make a plan.

“Have a pulse on the market and keep the brand’s reasoning top-of-mind,” says Pleckaitis. She says having a deep knowing of brand purpose ahead of time will allow you to respond thoughtfully and quickly – the best of both worlds.

Uygun recommends constantly evaluating how your brand supports its missions and customer values on an ongoing basis. “Brands can react too quickly without making any substantial changes internally or without proving their dedication to a cause,” she says. “Ensure your practices align with your views before making any statements or declarations. Be proactive, and don’t wait for a crisis to make a change.”

With speediness at the forefront, both Tarlo and Pleckaitis agree that there’s no right or wrong method of which team to put in charge of marketing these quickfire campaigns – what matters is the team has a deep understanding of the what the brand stands for. “It takes a firm grasp of a brand’s ethos, understanding of its community, a finger on the pulse of culture, and of course, talent,” says Tarlo. She notes that a strong agency partner will care about a brand’s moment just as much as the brand itself, but may also be able to bring a fresh perspective. Pleckaitis suggests that potentially an “all-hands-on-deck” approach may even be advantageous.