What brands stand to lose by not taking a stand

“Let it be absolutely clear, the loss of a discount will neither scare nor distract one single NRA member from our mission to stand and defend the freedoms that have always made America the greatest nation in the world.”

In the wake of yet another mass shooting here in the US the NRA is lashing out at companies who have decided to cut ties with them. They are mad at them and aren’t going to take it anymore!

And as for the brands? Well, apparently the feeling is mutual.

In large part, this change of heart isn’t being driven by the brands, but by their customers. People are starting to demand that companies take a position on issues that many of them would just as soon avoid if they could.

And, frankly, we shouldn’t find this surprising. Over the last decade, marketers have shifted focus from what a brand “does” to what a brand “believes.” We’ve stopped talking about the benefits of a given product or category. Instead, we’re inviting customers to ask, “Do our belief systems align around how the world should work?”

Many brands are happily embracing this more purpose-driven approach to the world. Which makes sense. Because brands are run by people. They have to answer to their friends and family as well as their customers. Those people want to work for companies that stand for things they believe in.

However, it’s not just altruism at play.

Brands exist, primarily, to create value. And they do that by selling more, to as many people as possible, at the most profitable price. Sharing the same world view as their customers doesn’t just feel good – it’s also good for their bottom line.

Take Patagonia, for instance. In December, as the president planned to roll back protections on two national monuments in Utah, they replaced their entire website with a single page that bluntly stated, “The President Stole Your Land.” Then they filed a lawsuit against the administration. Talk about putting your money where your mouth is.

And guess what happened? The day following their announcement, online sales of Patagonia products (at non-Patagonia sites) increased by six times. Overall sales increased by 7% over the previous week – which included “Cyber Monday,” the biggest online shopping day of the entire year.

So, what does this mean for the brands still standing with the NRA? Setting aside (for a moment) the moral and legal issues surrounding the gun debate in the U.S., here is some math:

Three percent of Americans own 50% of all the guns in America.

The NRA has roughly five million members (out of a population of over 300 million).

The vast majority American people are getting fed up at the inability of our government to solve the problem of gun violence through legislation.

The NRA is the leading force behind resistance to nearly ANY type of legislative change that would limit or attempt to control sales of any type of gun.

The question for brands is becoming, do we stand with a small, yet very focused and vocal, fraction of Americans who do not seem to want to enact common sense changes to our gun laws? Or do we align with the vast majority of Americans who see the issue and think that the time has come to act?

“No comment” is no longer an acceptable answer.

Consumers have made it clear: they want to buy from brands that share their values. But the stakes are even higher now.

Because people aren’t satisfied with us telling them what we believe. Now they’re demanding that we prove it.

And that’s a good thing. Marketers have a power few others can match. We know how to connect with people, how to change perceptions, how to change actions and behaviors.

All we need now is the courage to do it.

This piece was by Jonathan Cude, CCO at McKinney. Follow him @jcude