What comes first, the culture’s values or its advertising? One of the biggest hot button issues within human behavior is understanding the role of advertising in reference to cultural values.
Advertising in the United States has evolved with the rise in accessible information and technology. Instead of simply telling an audience that they want a product or service, each ad is expected to be backed up by proof of performance, reasons why the buyer should choose one brand over the next, and how the brand is helping with real-world issues.
Now, social media has transformed the advertising scene by demanding that brands engage with their followers. A brand is no longer a company; it is part of culture, a member of society. But what does this mean for your company?
Values-Based Advertising
How does your product or service fit in to the landscape of the world and its current events? Values-based advertising aims to answer this question. This type of ad will focus more on the intrinsic ideas that their product represents and the role it plays in the consumer’s life.
In order to take this approach and do it well, a company must have an in-depth understanding of their target audience, from their interests and passions, to the causes that matter to them. A good values-based advertising campaign seamlessly and authentically blends a set of values into the core of the message. Many times, they have a “feel good” takeaway and a call to action that positions the brand as a community member.
My favorite big brand values-based advertising campaign is a few years old and has the same effect today that it did the day I first saw it!
Corporate Social Responsibility
Now that brands have essentially become a collective persona, they are also expected to contribute to their respective areas in ways that will benefit the specific needs of its community. Millennials have made it clear that they want their money to be spent on brands that care about the well-being of the world and the people within it. Statistics now show that 81% of millennials expect businesses to have established philanthropic efforts.
A well-thought out corporate social responsibility plan should align with the mission statement of the company or organization. When developing a community relations initiative, consider causes that unite your audience, like education or human rights. Think about the community surrounding your business and how your presence in the community could benefit the people within it.
What About My Brand?
For better and for worse, a culture is both mirrored and influenced by advertising. For more information on how to create a values-based advertising campaign or to create a corporate social responsibility plan, contact VUP Media. Our experts will help you create authentic advertising to increase sales and brand loyalty.
