Brands have been increasingly embracing causes. This trend is driven by the need to address many important issues that surround us, as well as the consumers who expect brands to make a positive contribution to society. This however has two important implications.
Trust
Building a brand is far more than just advertising; hence while a brand may associate itself with a cause, customers may not readily trust it. Therefore brands need to understand the values that they stand for and make long term commitments to how they will do business. The SDG’s provide a framework that helps brands align with global causes and measure the impact of their work. Brand affinity has a higher life, and it is not just functional. Genuine change needs to be part of the brand ambition as brands will only prosper if society prospers.