I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Brands need to be fearless because a new, “woke” consumer has arrived who is hyper aware of social injustice. This consumer represents approximately $150 billion of spending power in the United States, and by 2020 will make up a whopping 40 percent of consumers worldwide.
Generation Woke, also known as Gen Z (born in the mid-Nineties and early 2000s) are super keen to connect with companies on social and political issues — not just environmental issues. I’m talking #MeToo, #Blacklivesmatter and #guncontrol.
A little too polarizing for you, I hear you say? Too bad. The woke consumer gives zero brownie points to brands that strategically choose to remain silent. As I said in my book, “The Kim Kardashian Principle,” leaders today need to face a simple truth: Speak up and take sides or forever risk losing relevance.
After Nike reportedly embraced my new branding rules to launch one of the most talked about advertising campaigns in recent history with Colin Kaepernick, I’ve noticed that other brands have followed suit. Gucci decided to support gun control and donate to March For Our Lives. The chief executive officer of Levi’s took sides in the same debate
The Outside View: The ‘Woke’ Squad Says #DoYourThing
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