If the message is real, just do it

Hey boss, I have a great idea for a new campaign. It will have such an impact that people will throw our products out and burn them. Then they’ll film the inferno and share it on social media. It will drop the company’s value and the president will bag us in a tweet. What do you think boss? Just Do It?

And with a big black tick, the latest Nike ad was created, featuring former NFL player Colin Kaepernick who created controversy for kneeling during the national anthem to protest against racial inequality.

By using Kaepernick, Nike dipped into the social justice theme where other companies have crashed and burned. Its message – ‘‘believe in something even if it means risking everything’’, is a sentiment I doubt it adopted. This was a risk, but a carefully calculated one, targeting ethnically diverse millennials who make up two-thirds of its customers.

It’s a strategy called ‘‘woke-washing’’. It’s a bit like green-washing but socially. Green-washing is when corporates create the perception their products are environmentally friendly. Wokewashing, also called ‘‘compassionate capitalism’’, is using social justice.

Woke-washing is not new. There have been many failures that have served as a warning. Remember Pepsi scrapping a major campaign and apologising after worldwide criticism that it trivialised the ‘‘Black Lives Matter’’ campaign? Pepsi claimed it was trying to promote a global message of unity, peace and understanding; how buying a can of Pepsi does that, I’m not sure.

There are numerous other examples: Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple and Starbucks all make public declarations of support for gender and racial diversity, inclusivity and equality. And then there is the Heineken ad featuring a member of the altRight sitting down to debate political issues with a black feminist, suggesting all issues are fixed over a beer.

An even more bizarre example is Northrop Grumman – which makes intercontinental ballistic missiles – proudly stating on its website that it gets its drone parts from minority-owned businesses. Who cares? Their product kills people.

Commentators say Nike’s campaign comes at a time when customers are looking for brands to be more socially conscious, but I think consumers first want companies to clean up their own backyards. In recent years Nike has admitted using sweatshop working conditions and poor labour relations, as well as being reported to run a toxic work environment where women feel marginalised and excluded.

Currently, Nike’s effort is considered a success. Sales rose 27 per cent after the ad launched and it’s estimated it generated US$43 million (NZ$65.8m) in free advertising through media coverage.

However, it’s really too early to tell. Some customers bought Nike gear to support the campaign while others said it made no difference – we’re yet to see the impact from past customers who say they’ll never buy the brand again.

But is there really a role for corporates to address social issues? The growth in digital media means millennials are probably the most clued-up generation yet and, due to the huge amount of content they’re exposed to, have more ability to recognise the difference between authenticity and a cheap ploy.

That said, maybe the power of successful international brands and their audiences can truly bring about social change. If corporates such as Nike are prepared to take a risk and invest in communicating a message that is transparent, authentic and can genuinely make the world a better place, my message back to them – Just Do It.