'Vote Every Day' campaign from 25 brands urges support for cause-driven companies

Dive Brief:

A group of Certified B Corps brands have launched “Vote Every Day,” a campaign that focuses on the idea that consumers can vote for the issues they care most about when they choose what to purchase, where to work and which companies to do business with, according to details provided to Marketing Dive.
The campaign includes digital video and display ads. The ad copy is themed around voting, including "Vote With Your Soap" and "It's Not a Cash Register. It's a Ballot Box."
B Corps are businesses that have been certified as meeting environmental and social standards by the nonprofit B Lab, as well as public transparency and legal accountability, according to AdAge. “Vote Every Day,” from Fortnight Collective, includes 25 B Corps, including Unilever brands Seventh Generation, Ben & Jerry’s and Sundial Brands, as well as Danone North America, Cabot, Patagonia, Amalgamated Bank, Kickstarter, Leesa, Athleta and others.

Dive Insight:

The B Corps campaign is one of the most coordinated examples to date of marketers linking their corporate responsibility efforts to their bottom line. The strategy could be a winner given how consumers — especially younger ones — are demanding that brands take a position on social and political issues, especially in the current divisive climate, and letting a brand’s stance on issues impact their purchases. Following last week’s midterm elections, “Vote Every Day” is making the case that consumers can actually vote for the values and issues they care most about with their everyday purchases and through the businesses that they support. Certified B Corps are committed to eliminating inequality, lowering poverty levels, promoting healthier environments and creating high-quality jobs.

Nearly two-thirds, or 64%, of consumers worldwide now purchase from or boycott brands based on their stance on social or political issues, according to the 2018 Edelman Earned Brand study. The number is a 13-point increase over last year. Also, 53% of consumers think brands can do more to solve problems than governments and are equally likely to express purchase intent after a “values-led communication” compared to a product-focused message.

The big-name brands involved, including Ben & Jerry’s and Patagonia, are setting an example for others to follow in becoming more cause-driven. Research has shown that brands with a high sense of purpose have seen brand valuation jump 175% over the past 12 years, compared to the median growth rate of 86%, according to Kantar Consulting research. About two-thirds of millennials and Gen Zers prefer brands that stand for something and have a point of view.

A noteworthy example is Nike’s recent “Just Do It” campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick. Nike is not a member of B Corps and took a big risk by featuring the NFL player who helped lead protests against police brutality by taking a knee during the national anthem, but the campaign resonated with consumers. Nike saw a 17% increase in foot traffic at 242 stores during the week after Labor Day, following the campaign’s launch, compared to the same time period in 2017, according to a Foursquare analysis. Online sales jumped 31% in the weekend following the campaign, per an Edison Trends analysis.