#17: How to do good, well
On PR and marketing as the corporate conscience
In 2015, a biopic premiered about Apple’s Steve Jobs. The story included Joanna Hoffmann, an early Apple marketing executive and confidant, played by Kate Winslet. Winslet’s role was painted by the film’s marketing as Jobs’s Jiminy Cricket, his “moral conscience.” This Slate interview with Winslet even uses that phrase twice.
There is an entire generation of comms, PR and marketing people who got into the game based on the very idea that the function could help companies behave better. through corporate social responsibility (CSR), diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) and internal communications/employee engagement work.
But is that dream coming to an end? The market is reckoning with thousands of layoffs. Anecdotally, marketing and comms are often first to go; Twitter’s team was famously decimated to just two people (maybe even less now).
So how do we, as marketers in a challenged economy, strive to do good while creating value for our clients and for the world? Today, we’re joined by two founders from WonderIN Group in a Q&A that might give you insight into how.
Tell me about WonderIN Group.
Andrea: Charlotte and I came from different areas in marketing; I came from startups and the early days of social media. Charlotte came from advertising. We saw there was truly a void in the industry.
We work with socially responsible companies or find opportunities in corporate to identify social good opportunities. We launched an integrated agency that afforded us the opportunity to really make an impact.
What sorts of brands should be investing in this kind of work? What sort of key business results can a brand expect from investing in in good practices?
Charlotte: Every brand in some degree should be doing something in CSR. Social good marketing spans so many different facets, you know, everything from solving for inequality in the workplace, to the environment, to fair trade practices.
There are often short term sacrifices, both financially and operationally, that you have to do in order to get in line with CSR. But the long term benefit definitely pays off.
For example, we're working on an initiative with national retailers to do a better job of getting rid of plastic. We're introducing borrowing bags and kiosks, which have an uplift cost to them. But in two, five, ten years, we will have eradicated plastic use - and purchases - for the retailers.
Andrea: Responsible practices can retain employees. We've noticed this even with with the staff that we've hired; they’re really motivated. You'll also create customer loyalty because they really want to be behind brands that are authentically involved.
What are some of the pitfalls associated with social responsibility work?
Andrea: Any marketer needs to be able to prove impact and evaluate it year over year. Where companies have fallen short is they make a big investment, a big vision. And then it's seen as inauthentic because they don't really prove that it's being done or the impact it's having.
What what do you think keeps companies from that follow through?
Charlotte: Brands sometimes follow what's trending. Someone gets in their ear and they have every good intention. But they don't know how to execute and don’t get other shareholders bought into whatever they're doing. There's so much power in creating collective action and coming together across brands to solve bigger issues.
Andrea: The C-level absolutely needs to be involved; they’re making those decisions.
What are some examples of interesting, impactful projects you’re working on?
Charlotte: Catalyst 2030 is helping solve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. And part of one of those projects is something called Catalyst Market, which we've just launched: a sustainable, socially responsible, ethical marketplace.
I didn’t even realize until we worked on this project that so many artisans in the Global South didn’t even have access to international payment systems, so they couldn’t sell to America another companies. This effort will help them find customers and support their socially responsible work.
Any tips or tricks for anyone who wants to incorporate socially responsible tactics into their business?
Charlotte: Sometimes, social good initiatives can fall short because they can get a little heavy or preachy. So keep campaigns simple and relatable.
If you're small business, there are small things you can do, like, become a member of 1% For the Planet. Organize more volunteer days. Implement a transparent pay structure. You don't have to suddenly become a zero waste fountain.
Thanks for reading, and please let me know your thoughts. And if you have any ideas for a future Q&A or subject, let me know!