BRANDS THAT BRIDGE

Ever more aware of rising social tensions and historic inequalities, consumers are looking to brands and businesses to take meaningful action that brings people together, heals divides, rights wrongs, and promotes harmony.

Social tension, prejudice, and inequality have always been with us. So what makes this trend crucial now? With many losing faith in politics, millions around the world see established public institutions – national and local governments, the EU, and the UN – struggling to meet the challenges we face in 2016. For many, traditional politics seem outdated, narrow, and polarizing. Now, consumers are looking for new solutions to shared social challenges.

69% of people trust businesses to keep pace with a changing world, while only 47% of people trust governments to do the same.

- EDELMAN TRUST BAROMETER, 2016

Making Sense Of It All

The world has become rich, connected, and globalized beyond the dreams of our grandparents. But along with that comes new and extremely complex challenges. Think about the global movement (and outsourcing) of labor; and/or the rise of new kinds of extremism. Those complex issues can create the kind of uncertainty that drives social tensions, tribalism, racism, and simple hatred.

The world has always contained people who want to spread division and sow disharmony. But now, we live in a 24/7 immersive media culture. And mainstream media knows that the fastest route to eyeballs and clicks is to give more attention to divisive personalities. The consequences? More fuel on the fire of disharmony; and perhaps an increasing space and/or appetite for other organizations to deliver messages that promote social tolerance and cohesion.

A Moral Compass

Once, consumer status was all about affluence. Today, it's less about 'what I have' and much more about 'who I am': creative, connected, tasteful, and, yes, ethical. Millions want to show others that they are ethically conscious, and that means engaging with brands that have – and communicate – the right values when it comes to social issues.

Lest we forget the outcry that ensued when Starbucks tried to address the debate around racial inequality in the US by getting baristas to scrawl 'Race Together' on coffee cups. True harmony is not only sincere, it's constructive, meaningful & mindful.

Any parent – or even any casual observer of American culture, for that matter – knows that bullying is a major problem in U.S. schools. From classic schoolyard fights to the brave new world of online humiliation, 47 percent of girls and 34 percent of boys aged 12-17 say they’ve been?tormented by their peers in some way, according to a survey quoted in?The New York Times. Anti-bullying campaigns have increased in popularity over the years as a result, and it seems many major brands have taken notice.

Harmony Campaigns

Though the following ‘cause’ or ‘harmony’ campaigns are from large recognizable brands, many of the strategies can be executed by cannabis brands with great success – especially because of the abundance of social injustices related to the segment. Take a look at how large brands use social rifts to place and position their products.

Toms: One Day Without Shoes

Tom’s community has helped turn a simple idea into a powerful reality. Groups like Tom’s Campus Programs get college students all over the United States involved with events that educate others on conscious consumerism and social entrepreneurism. Their movement is made up of many parts, including One Day Without Shoes and World Sight Day our annual days to raise awareness for the global issues of poverty and avoidable blindness and visual impairment. Ticket To Give gives you an opportunity to join them on a Giving Trip and distribute Toms Shoes to children in the field. And if you’re looking for other ways to get involved, their Community Team has lots of ideas.

Uber: Share Our Strength

Uber launched?its program to help a variety of causes including vets to find jobs, homes for cats and dogs as well as clothes collection for the needy. They've done an excellent job using their app and customer base for social good. Uber's latest program with?Share Our Strength?was a success. Their initial goal was to provide three million meals for children in need by allowing riders to make a $5 donation within the Uber app to support?No Kid Hungry. Within four days, the Uber community donated enough money to provide five million meals.

The LUSH Charity Pot

The concept is simple. When you buy a?Charity Pot?body lotion all the money from the sale goes to the nonprofit featured on the lid.?Since 2007, the promotion has raised nearly $6 million for over 600 nonprofits. LUSH is supporting small nonprofits.?These organizations often sit on the sidelines of cause marketing and watch the dollars flow to big charities like the American Cancer Society, The Salvation Army, and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. More companies should make giving to small nonprofits a priority. Most of those nonprofits are animal welfare, environmental conservation, and humanitarian causes with annual revenues below $500,000.

“We find these groups when they need a lift up, and ideally, after a year, we hope to get them in a position where they don’t need us anymore”

- Lush Spokesperson

Canna Concerns

Addressing social issues and bridging societal gaps is just one of our obligations to the community we live in and around. How we approach our issues is up to us. While brewers in Colorado regularly donate to charities, it’s more difficult for cannabis companies to do the same. Local breweries, such as New Belgium and Odell, have gifted in the millions to local organizations and?have long been hailed for their charitable actions?in?the community.

Colorado's?legalization of recreational marijuana has brought a new player to the philanthropic table in the marijuana industry, and many area nonprofits are unsure as to how to handle the industry's desire to give back. Most nonprofits contacted by the Coloradoan?noted?the sensitive nature in the form of public perception surrounding pot philanthropy?and a need to fine-tune policies before they're made public.

It's not just societal taboo that plays a role in nonprofit reluctance to accept donations from marijuana entities. There's also a lingering?possibility?that donations from the?industry could be seized if the federal government decided to overrule state legalization.

Bottom Line: Brands can bridge. Brands can make a difference. Let’s take care of those that are less fortunate and need our industry’s help and support.

About The Author:

With 20+ years of brand-building and consumer marketing experience serving American Express, MasterCard, PepsiCo, and Microsoft – along with 12 years in the cannabis industry working as the VP, Licensing & Brand Partnerships at DOPE Magazine, and as the Chief Brand Officer at Evergreen Herbal, Washington’s number one cannabis processor – David is perhaps best known for his writings and thought-leadership on cannabis branding and marketing. His book, “Branding Bud: The Commercialization of Cannabis” is the first and bestselling book on cannabis branding. As Founder of the Branding Bud Consulting Group, he now consults on many aspects of legal cannabis to those both currently in the industry and to those wanting to enter it.?

Contact him at:?david@brandingbud.com

Follow him at:?@dpaleschuck

Read the Article in Dope Magazine:

https://www.dopemagazine.com/branding-bud-brands-that-bridge/

Or at medium.com:

https://medium.com/dope-magazine/branding-bud-brands-that-bridge-5b9ebb4b9f26#.9smn4lgl2