In praise of values over rage makers: building understanding that goes beyond the vocal minority

Recently a large retailer made news it was dropping its DEI program due to the pressure of a right wing rage maker. To be clear, DEI was an experiment. There's some emerging evidence that it may not work as well as we thought. But it's not because diversity is wrong. It's not because we don't have work to do to be more equitable and inclusive.?

And whatever you think of DEI, our research shows that the folks who are raising a negative ruckus over these activities do not represent the vast majority of Americans (72%) who are positive or neutral when brands participate in social justice issues.?

For example, in our book Influencing Shopper Decisions, we write about how consumers are leaning into values with nearly half of shoppers (except Boomers - but even they clock in at one-third wanting such things from brands) saying they want companies to treat their employees well, make a positive difference in the world in which we live and care about, and prioritize things like equality, the environment, transparency, charitable giving and more.?

Whether or not a business participates in DEI activities, pride month or other similar initiatives may not be a “make or break” for most consumers, caving to a small, vocal, angry minority (of a certain demographic profile) without understanding your greater audience is always a bad idea. And our research shows that the outspoken minority, who are generally of a certain age and race, is mad at just about everyone.

Examining fear and low trust on a continuum

When we look more closely at this phenomenon, some clear patterns emerge. Older Whites are more likely than their younger counterparts - of any race - to say that the world is less safe today than it was in the past (82% vs. 65%). At the same time, older non-Whites are also more likely than younger non-Whites to see the world as less safe today (73% vs. 64%).?

When it comes to satisfaction, older Whites are more likely than older non-Whites to say they feel dissatisfied with where their life is at the moment (42% vs. 36%). In addition,?

older Whites are less likely than every other group to think that their future will be better (62% of older Whites vs. 70% of younger Whites; 74% of older Non-Whites; 75% of younger non-Whites).

Rural folks are also struggling:?

• Individuals living in rural areas are more likely than urban dwellers to have no trust in their local government (56% vs. 49%), state government (59% vs. 51%), or federal government (66% vs. 54%).

• Individuals living in rural areas are less likely than those in urban areas to say that they are financially better off today than before (42% vs. 51%).
• Individuals living in rural areas are also less likely to say that the U.S. is headed in the right direction (29% vs. 45%).

• Those living in rural areas are more likely than those in urban areas to ‘strongly agree’ that inflation has made it harder for them to afford essential items (49% vs. 38%).

Focus on meaningful action for your real audience It's clear that there is a segment of the population who are more pessimistic. If this is your target, maybe consider a different approach than simply taking the bait and contributing to the conflagration of anger and dissatisfaction. Instead of creating a PR and brand nightmare because you’re scared of being on the wrong side of a divisive podcast creator, consider this:?

We could all use brands that make it easier to afford both the basics and the quality items we want for our homes and our kids. Does diversity and inclusion take away from this? Nope, not in the slightest. Does removing it make anyone’s life better? Nope, not at all. So what’s a brand to do??

Start with your prices. And keep a close eye on your product quality and be mindful of shrinkflation because consumers are watching. Invest in local communities. Consider creating more community through in person events. Then promote goodwill and kindness. Use the power of your marketing and messaging to lift us all up and remind us what we’re striving for. That's something everyone, no matter their demographic, will thank you for.

After a tough few years, we need some love right now. Brands can choose to demonize and eliminate initiatives, like DEI, based on the dissatisfied vocalization of a few, or to just be a good partner to their consumers. We know which one we’ll pick.?