Exploring Millenials' Asymmetric Brand Attitudes held towards Brands who Practice Brand Activism
Jonathan Oliver Shaw
Adam and Eve DDB
Stuart Armon
Bournemouth University
Abstract
This research paper explores Millennials’ asymmetric attitudes towards brand activism and the factors that contribute to these attitudes. Existing literature has outlined the cultural shift of brands engaging with socio-political issues, however, the amalgamation of Millennials’ willingness to voice opinions and their awareness of social issues has been overlooked in previous studies. This study looks at their opinions towards brand activism to understand what factors catalyse asymmetry in their attitudes, with the aim of assisting brands in mitigating any negative effects. This study employed eight qualitative semi-structured interviews with participants aged 22-40 and learned their attitudes towards brand activism signify levels of asymmetry. Respondents had an expectation for brands to be involved with such issues, built off of their own personal ‘moral expectation’ and if brands did not meet such expectations, respondents signified that they would avoid them. Conversely, respondents illustrated that they were unlikely to honour a brand for meeting such expectations, thus demonstrating the asymmetry. Following the findings, this paper develops pillars of best practice, assisting in the understanding of the importance of managing activism effectively. It’s here that the study suggests that marketing practitioners approach activist issues with Caution and Thought, Authenticity and Action.
