Have you heard of cancel culture?
You have probably seen or heard popular brands and celebrities being infamously cancelled online. It seems nobody is safe from cancel culture, with hashtag campaigns and urges to boycott products, movies, or TV shows, a regular occurrence when the witch hunt begins.
This online trend is the phenomenon of cancelling a person, brand, or even a movie, TV show, or event because of problematic and offensive remarks and ideologies.
While cancelling someone isn’t necessarily a new thing, the fact it is happening far more often just goes to show that the standards that younger generations are holding brands, influencers, and celebrities to is far higher than ever before.
The pandemic has only increased the prevalence of online culture, and in turn, there have naturally been negative side effects. Whilst cancel culture isn’t negative on its own, and it’s incredibly important to hold brands and influencers accountable, the spread of misinformation and witch hunts have definitely become problematic and difficult for those with a large online presence.
Why Cancel Culture Is Important?
Ultimately, cancel culture is holding people and brands accountable for their actions.
Social responsibility is huge for brands in 2021, and audiences aren’t afraid to call out businesses who aren’t doing the right thing by the environment, society, or even their staff.
In a society where social media reigns supreme, everybody has a voice and that means that people aren’t afraid to hold big businesses accountable, demanding better.
Think staying neutral and silent will protect you from any backlash?
Not so fast.
It’s no longer acceptable for businesses and brands to stay silent in the face of injustice and brands who don’t get involved in the conversation are just as quickly ‘cancelled’ as ones who are outspoken with unpopular ideologies.
What Should Brands Keep In Mind?
Worried about cancel culture or how to handle potential negative backlash? Here are some things to keep in mind.
Consistency
Maintaining consistent brand values will help you navigate when is the right time to speak out about pressing issues in a way that is natural for your brand.
Having strong values will allow you to stay authentic in your approach, navigating responses in a way that doesn’t feel forced on your audience.
Lean Into Your Identity
Not all consumers shop based on the values that brands uphold.
However, having strong values, speaking up when it’s right, and being vocal about issues that mean a lot to you and your consumers will always set you apart.
Be Accountable
A massive part of navigating cancel culture is being accountable for any mistakes that are made and owning up to problematic behaviour.
Sweeping things under the rug just doesn’t cut it anymore, and brands constantly face the pressure to publicly address issues, and actively make any changes so they don’t happen again.
By having clear and transparent communication you are keeping yourself accountable for anything that may not be perceived well by your audience.
Remain engaged, listen, and learn when to own up to mistakes and commit to changing them.
Build A Community
Having a strong community with your audience will always set your brand apart and turn consumers into loyal following. By investing in your social media management you’ll be able to create genuine relationships with both your customers and your audience.
In order to build this trust, you need to be genuine, open, and authentic. Speak openly and honestly about issues that you care about, and actively engage with your audience when concerns are raised.
Need help portraying your values to your audience?
Community management is a fantastic way to keep channels of communication open, build a loyal following, and help your brand appear more engaged and active.
We can help you manage your social media channels and build your brand identity online.
Want to know more?
