Taking a Public Position on Social Issues

There’s no shortage of social issues often at the forefront of our conversations and dominating a presence in our social media feeds. Whether you, representing yourself and/or a business or a brand, want to take your stance public is another story; one that should be carefully contemplated. It's crucial to navigate this complex landscape with thought. While there's no one-size-fits-all solution, there are some core considerations to evaluate in hopes to avoid potential missteps.

To forge a meaningful and successful alignment between your brand and a social issue, here are five essential principles to bear in mind:

1. Understand Your Core Values: An effective stance rests on a foundation of clear alignment with your core values. These values should help guide your decisions and ultimately create a summary of who you are as a company.

2. Communicate Your Values and Mission Sincerely: Transparency and authenticity form the bedrock of articulating your stance. It’s important to communicate why you’re taking a particular position and who it impacts. Understand your audience, anticipate their reaction, and provide open dialogue.

3. Embrace Feedback: Keep an open mind when it comes to feedback, whether positive or negative, and be prepared to pivot accordingly. Genuine communication means entertaining back and forth dialogue, as opposed to a monologue, fostering understanding and acceptance.

4. Sustain Ongoing Dialogue: Taking a stand requires continued commitment. Investing time, effort and creativity is essential to reinforce the significance of your stance. Consistency is key, so be prepared to engage for the long haul. If one of your social media platforms becomes a place for respectful conversation, all the better.

5. Cater to Your Team and Audience: Ensure you communicate your position internally first, before going public. Address any issues brought forth by your team to help shape the broader message. Next, make sure that message is clear and caters to your target audience, based on your understanding of their expectations and values.

Consumers are increasingly looking to brands to be socially responsible, so taking a stance can be impactful, not to mention, a powerful tool for engagement, AND the right thing to do. Saying that, your engagement on social issues must be well thought out, authentic and have a profound understanding of your company’s values and mission. It should also take into account the expectations of your internal team and your audience.