- 78% of consumers think that brands are “doing things that are political or politically motivated,” according to Edelman’s 2024 Trust Barometer Special Report: Brands and Politics.
- The research also revealed that 60% of consumers are buying or boycotting brands as a way to express their politics. And 84% of U.S. consumers said they only buy from brands that share their values.
- The research revealed that brands should not ignore politics as 60% of Gen Z and the political Left in the U.S. associate silence with doing nothing or hiding something.
Consumers are looking at brands with a critical eye and want to see that these companies share their values on societal issues such as equal pay, sustainability and antiracism. Shoppers are looking at everything from which influencers brands partner with to which social media platforms they use and will make purchase and boycott decisions based on these brand decisions.
The latest Edelman Trust Barometer report includes feedback from consumers in 15 countries across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas. The key findings suggest that politics have become as important to consumers as gender, age and income.
“To a staggering extent, our new research shows, brands and politics have become melded in the public mind,” said Richard Edelman, CEO of Edelman, in a blog post. “The immediate reaction by marketers might be to put your head down and let the storm pass. That would be exactly the wrong strategy. The question is not how to avoid politics but how to navigate the present complexity to your advantage. Not every brand needs to have an impact or purpose initiative but consider how politicization can abruptly color consumer perceptions.”
In the U.S. Republicans think brands are too involved in societal issues, with the exception of offering fair pay and democrats generally prefer to see brand action particularly around the climate, fair pay, and diversity, with 67% choosing brands that commit to ending racism.
Edelman suggests that brands prioritize their core consumer and also encourages intellectual diversity including people from different political backgrounds to help create campaigns.
“Most of all, stand your ground because marketing matters,” he continued. “Brands are playing an essential role in a society riven with fears, providing hope and inspiration for the future.”
