The Eagles are masters at connecting with their fan base, affectionately known as the “Bird Gang.” Their content—whether it’s locker room interviews, game recaps, or heartfelt tributes to their city—makes fans feel like they’re part of the team.
Marketers should take a page from this playbook. Marketing and more specifically content marketing isn’t just about selling a product; it’s about building relationships. Like the Eagles, focus on authenticity and relatability. Share behind-the-scenes moments, user-generated content, and stories that reflect the values of your audience. When your audience feels included and seen, they’ll become more than customers—they’ll become fans.
Growing up in Philadelphia in the 70s and 80s, I was surrounded by winning teams: the Flyers won the Stanley Cup in ’73-’74 and ’74-’75; the Phillies took the World Series in ’80, and the 76ers in ’83. But true Philadelphia fandom hangs on the Eagles, and every fan has had a long wait to see our team claim a Super Bowl championship. We lost to Oakland in ’81 and the Patriots in ’05. It wasn’t until 2018 that the pain ended – and our 2025 win was one for the books. While their success on the field is fueled by grit, strategy, and execution, there are many elements we marketers can take away from the Iggles. Whether you’re crafting a marketing plan or rethinking your tactics for 2025, the Eagles’ playbook inspires a few lessons.
Smashmouth Football Meets Marketing
The Eagles’ identity on the field has historically been about smashmouth football—dominating the trenches with a relentless offensive line, hard-hitting defense, and a never-back-down mentality. Modern marketing requires the same approach: bold, aggressive, and calculated.
Today’s digital landscape is crowded and competitive, and passive strategies won’t cut it. To win, brands must be proactive. That means taking risks with bold creative campaigns, optimizing relentlessly, and using data to bulldoze obstacles. Just as the Eagles adapt their game plan depending on their opponent, marketers must pivot strategies based on real-time insights, ensuring they’re always one step ahead of the competition.
It’s hard being a Bostonian Eagles fan—but it’s totally worth it. As an Eagles fan living in Boston, I know all too well how loyalty can be tested. Surrounded by Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics and Bruins diehards, I face constant reminders that my allegiance is, let’s say, regionally unconventional. But here’s the thing—staying true to what brings you joy, even when it’s hard, is what fandom (and life) is all about.
The same applies to marketing. Success comes when you stay authentic to your brand, even in the face of pressure to conform. So here’s to flying high with bold strategies and unwavering loyalty. And here’s to the team that has kept this fan passionate and hopeful for many years. Go Birds!
Brands embracing minimalism in their logos isn’t new, but recent discussions have reignited the debate on whether it's effective — or just "blanding." While some argue that simplifying design helps with digital functionality, others believe it can strip away a brand’s unique identity. As companies like Burberry move back toward heritage designs, we may be seeing a shift toward more expressive branding in the future.
The article, Paypal Simple Brand Refreshes Blanding dives into the trend of minimalist logos, and looks how brands are trying to keep things simple without losing their personality, and whether we might see a shift back to more bold, expressive designs soon. Here’s what our creative team has to say about it:
“This trend stems from brands increasingly 'going digital,' requiring logos to perform well across every UX environment. However, the logo itself often becomes secondary within the broader brand system, reduced to just one small piece of the puzzle. The downside is the emergence of very bland logos that lack distinctiveness, often nothing more than a slightly tweaked typeface. It will be interesting to see how this evolves over the next five years—whether logos will return to more quirky and unique designs, or if new technologies will push branding in a completely different direction. (Where’s that 3D-projection hologram phone we were promised?)”
-Scot Forbes, Creative Director
“The logo is just one small part of a brand system, so there may be complexity in other parts of the new branding that aren't visible in the logo itself. But since the logo is the face of the company, it is odd we are going in that direction so intensely.
There's this old architecture quote "form follows function" which dictates aesthetics of design are based on the practical necessities first. And while I think there's important truth to this, as UX is very "function" oriented first and thus needs simplicity, I worry we've switched to "formless function" where simplicity and ease of construction takes precedence over EVERYTHING. If you abstract-ify everything too much, you render everything kind of meaningless. So I get it, but I think we as a society will start to suffer for it over time.”
Taking on a project with a new client can feel like setting sail in uncharted waters. As we embark, the implementation of a discovery phase provides us with the tools needed to navigate a unique and client-focused creative process. In addition to stakeholder interviews, a competitive analysis is an invaluable tool that provides us with crucial insights that will shape effective strategies and lead to exceptional results.
A SWOT analysis evaluates an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats – and it’s not corporate jargon but a treasure trove of information. This process uncovers what keeps your competitors afloat and what could run them aground — what new opportunities competitors are exploring and where they could encounter hazards. When done correctly, the SWOT reveals critical insights that can be used to a client’s advantage, allowing them to capitalize on their competitors’ missteps and turn a competitor’s weaknesses into their strengths and threats into opportunities.
At KingFish, a SWOT typically includes a close inspection of competitor websites to evaluate user experience, content strategy, and SEO practices. Additionally, a social media assessment identifies types of content competitors create and how frequently they share it. We determine how each competitor markets themselves and how they connect with their followers and our research inspires a tailored content strategy.
This iterative process uncovers a client’s differentiators, which are the unique advantages that set an organization apart in the marketplace. These traits distinguish their products and services from key competitors and should be leveraged and amplified in order to appeal to target audiences. Understanding these differentiators will help to better navigate the competitive waters, avoid potential obstacles, and chart a course toward success.
As we dive into the realm of messaging and visual representation, we analyze how competitors position their brand and speak to their audience through voice, tone, and visual design. We use this knowledge to craft a distinctive voice and brand experience, as well as irresistible calls to action (CTA) that make our clients stand out in a sea of competitors.
Whether our client’s goal is to rebrand, launch an ad campaign, increase web traffic, develop an impactful social media presence, or drive overall brand engagement — a competitive analysis is often the first step to uncovering their organization’s unique attributes.
In a fantasy land far far away, there is a grocery store where you pay $26 for bottled water, $41 for a helping of mixed berries, $22 for a smoothie, and $40 for hot sauce. Except the land is neither distant nor fantasy, it is a real chain located in California. Erewhon, a luxury health-food store with 10 locations in and around the Los Angeles area, has people in a choke-hold, but why? The owners are marketing geniuses. Simply put, the target market for Erewhon is the rich and famous. To shop at Erewhon is a luxury experience, the New York Times called it “the unofficial hangout for the young, beautiful, and bored”. Vogue described it as “Hollywood's cult-favorite wellness location." Erewhon CEO Tony Antoci claims between his 10 locations there is a whopping $900,000 per location per week, so how did they even get to this point? Organically, he claimed, but not by magic.
Tony has been in the food business since age 17, starting with phone orders at a restaurant where he met his wife Josephine, who worked in the kitchen. These two have grown Erewhon to unprecedented heights since 2011 when they purchased it. If I cringe getting the essentials, a $5 carton of eggs and a $4 gallon of milk, how did they get people to voluntarily put a $20 gallon of milk and an $11 carton of eggs (yes, really) in their shopping cart? From a marketing perspective, Erewhon is genius. Celebrity clientele, social media, their viral smoothie collaborations, quality, and store design are the best explanations for the phenomenon of Erewhon. Erewhon really took off in 2019 after a new deal with New York-based growth equity firm Stripes Group, who invested money into opening more stores and expanding their location. However, marketing machine Erewehon did not just become successful with money thrown at it and some luck, The Antoci’s are experts as well. Tony Antoci started off with a humbler beginning, selling private-label bottled water with his brother Vito to high-end restaurants on the Westside, then upgrading to selling bar supplies like olives, lemons and cherries, shortly after they started this, Josephine joined their team. At an Italian Restaurant one day an employee familiar with their business asked Josephine to start selling parmigiano-reggiano, this marked their entry to the food space, and they began selling $90 million worth of products to various vendors each year.
Years later, Erewhon is one of the face’s of organic, healthy, high-value groceries in California and online. They claim to be “driven to enhance the health of [their] community by providing organic, ethically sourced foods that support our bodies and our planet…’. Erewhon says on their website: “We’re more than a grocery store. We’re a community” right… I’m skeptical. But alas, the community in question involves affluent individuals in the area and a network of A-List celebrities including the Kardashian-Jenner family, Miley Cyrus, Hailey Bieber, Leonardo DiCaprio and more.
Seeing dozens of celebrities voluntarily shop anywhere will naturally gather attention and publicity, which was the case for Erewhon. Combining this insane publicity with their hot social media presence and buzz, their organic and quality ingredients, and their conveniently placed stores that happen to all be in affluent areas around the LA area, makes for the perfect concoction of success. People in these communities have a higher disposable income to spend on the things they want, making Erewhon a frequented destination for many.
See and be seen (Product collabs) and smoothies
Erewhon’s celebrity smoothie collaborations are nothing short of a marketing masterclass, transforming health drinks into Instagrammable status symbols. Picture this: a $22 smoothie created by the hands of A-listers like Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner, each sip wrapped in an aura of exclusivity. These partnerships don't just sell smoothies; they sell a lifestyle that screams "luxury wellness." With every star-studded launch, social media lights up, creating a ripple effect that attracts both die-hard fans and curious onlookers. Erewhon expertly leverages this hype, ensuring that their smoothies are the talk of the town, or rather, the talk of the high-end grocery scene. By aligning with celebrity culture, they’ve elevated the humble smoothie into a must-have accessory for anyone keen to rub elbows with the elite—because who wouldn’t want to sip on a concoction made famous by their favorite star?
Despite the fun that people (I) poke at Erewhon, they have a lot of philanthropy and community involvement to show as well. Erewhon partners with charities to donate over 25 million pounds of food to local communities, reuses or gives their waste to a sustainable recycling company, donates a portion of proceeds, and works with small businesses and farmers by promoting and selling their products. So customers can rest knowing that a portion of their $300 grocery bill, goes to various good causes. So maybe Erewhon is not so bad, I mean where else are we supposed to get our camel's milk, sea moss gel, yuzu juice, and kelp noodle chow mein all in one place?
Whether to generate conversations or play off emotions, fuel hunger or create trust, humans are influenced by color. Colors are one of the most important things in the world of marketing and advertising and the significance of strong color palette cannot be overstated. Selecting the right color combo is not merely a design choice; it’s a critical factor in customer retention, brand identity, and can even help or hurt your sales.
But why are color palettes important? They affect perception, mood, brand recognition, and consistency.1 Colors influence consumer behavior in profound ways. For instance, red is often associated with excitement and urgency, making it effective for promotions and calls to action, “Add to Cart”, and “Click Here”. Orange conveys playfulness and warmth, appealing to creativity and friendliness. Think of Nickelodeon as a brand, and their orange logo will make a lot of sense. Yellow is linked to happiness and optimism, think rubber duckies, sunshine, and smiley faces. Yellow also grabs intention, Matt Groening, creator of the Simpsons, says that he made the characters yellow because: “he wanted his cartoon to be eye-catching. When someone is flipping through channels, he wanted the bright yellow color of the Simpsons to catch the eye and make them go back to watch it."2 Green represents freshness, stability, and vitality, making it ideal for brands focused on health, quality, and sustainability such as Whole Foods or Hello Fresh. Blue fosters a sense of calm and trust, therefore it’s a popular choice for financial and healthcare brands such as Blue Cross or Chase. Purple, often associated with luxury and introspection, can inspire luxury and creativity, which is consistent with Cadbury’s branding.
“When SEO company Reboot ran a study on logo recognition, 78% of participants were able to recall the primary color of the logo while only 43% were able to remember the company name.”3 This underscores how essential a consistent color scheme is for building brand identity; the most successful companies are examples of this. Tiffany blue, John Deere green, UPS brown, Home Depot orange, and Barbie pink are all recognizable to the vast majority of the US population, which is essentially free marketing and customer recognition by something as simple as a color. Some companies go as far as to trademark “their color”, to ensure originality and unique brand identity, not to confuse themselves with any other competitor or brand. Your colors should be synonymous with your brand, a big decision we know, but it can get your brand ahead and make you more recognizable, while also helping you stand out from your competitors.
Two brands that commonly stand out in this conversation are Purple and Dunkin’. In a world of neutral marketing for mattresses and sleep companies, Purple’s lavender color and marketing stick out in the best way. Sealey, Simmons, Tempurpedic, Sleeptronic, Casper, Helix, and Mattress Firm are all either blue or red, and Purple knew exactly what they were doing with their branding. They went as far as to make the mattresses themselves purple, adding to their brand recognition in the most genius way possible. This playful color and branding also make them more approachable and humorous. As for Dunkin, they stand out for their iconic color scheme, you can picture the exact shades of pink and orange when someone says Dunkin, they have been so consistent with these colors since 1960.
The impact of color in branding is undeniable; it’s a powerful tool that shapes perceptions and drives consumer behavior. As we’ve seen with brands like Purple and Dunkin’, a well-thought-out color palette not only differentiates a brand but also creates an emotional connection with consumers. It’s more than just aesthetics; it’s about crafting an identity that resonates and sticks. When you choose your colors wisely, you’re not just painting a pretty picture—you’re laying the groundwork for recognition, loyalty, and ultimately, success.
Like sweet and spicy, bourbon and water, the Super Bowl/advertising experience is about entertainment that balances 3 ½ hours of immersive content. Humor, when done well, challenges nostalgia (the ads were rife with it) and emotionality as a core response. The KingFish team collaborated to share their perspectives on the brands that successfully took advantage of their Super Bowl commercial limelight, and others that missed the mark.
What Caught our Eye...
State Farm: Like a Good Neighbaa
By: Julio Colon, Digital Account Manager
State Farm could not have chosen a better celebrity to play Agent State Farm in the Agent State Farm movie. Arnold Schwarzenegger'sinability to nail the slogan offers several moments of laughter throughout the :60 spot due to his thick Austrian accent. State Farm’s slogan, “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there,”has been made memorable in recent years by the brandsseries of unfortunate event commercials featuring now Golden State Warriors, Point Guard, Chris Paul. This year's Super Bowl spot continues to convey the brand's commitment to reassurance in the face of adversity by pivoting from Arnold as the lead star in the film and having Danny Devito step in and save the day, like a good neighbaa.
Verizon - Can't B Broken
By: Cam Brown, Founder & CEO
Verizon’s offering with Beyoncé featured an epic production that was worth the watch even without the dry responses of straight-man Tony Hale. But he’s Buster, and everyone knows it. Which is why it worked. Verizon wins.
Dunkin' Donuts - The DunKings
By: Scot Forbes, Creative Director
Maybe we’re biased here in New England, but the latest Dunkin’ saga featuring Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez stole the show for me, solidifying Dunkin' Donuts' position as not just a purveyor of coffee and donuts, but also a key player in pop culture.
In this glorious spectacle, Ben Affleck crashes into the recording studio to surprise his singer-songwriter wife, Jennifer Lopez. But this wasn’t just any recording session—it was the birth of “the DunKings”. Wearing matching outrageous pink, orange, and white Dunkin’ tracksuits (complete with Red Sox logos), this boy band supergroup is revealed to include other Boston legends. No, not the New Kids on the Block, but Tom Brady spinning beats as “Touchdown Tommy” and Matt Damon offering his reluctant support (with a nod to his Good Will Hunting days)—with a Dunkin’ beverage in hand, of course. Lopez, playing along perfectly as the annoyed wife, was not impressed with the dismal performance. Hilariously, she offers Brady to stay after Affleck and Damon leave in shame.
Dunkin' advertising seems to effortlessly capture the essence of its Boston heritage, wit, and charm, seamlessly intertwining the city's rich cultural fabric with its brand identity.
As promised in Affleck’s final words, the DunKings’ signature beverage, a real iced coffee, hits stores today, prompting many, myself included, to make a run to the nearest Dunkin' to purchase. As a surprise bonus, exclusive “DunKings” merch (including the hideous track suits!) were made available on shopdunkin.com which immediately sold out within an hour of release. I hate to admit it, but had I scored one, I would totally wear that jacket. Kudos to Dunkin’ for yet another vital hit.
Disney+ - Well Said
By: Erica Lashua, Account Management Intern
Disney+ kept it sweet & simple for this year’s Super Bowl spot. The :30 commercial was nostalgic to viewers typing out some of the most classic Disney movie quotes and ended with a subtlenod to all the Swifties tuning in.Changing from a white to black background featuring “...Ready for It?” remarking on Swift’s popular track of the reputation album. The streaming service was recently announced to be hosting the highly acclaimed Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour movie. Disney+ was strategic in recognizing the new audience of young fanswatching while also noting others may be over the Taylor talk.For Disney+, the commercialimmediatelycreated buzz for onlinedebateregardingif the clipis a possible easter egg teasing at the highlyanticipated reputation (Taylor’s Version). The “if you know you know” moment was well executed for the brand and highly enjoyed by many.
Dove - It's the Hard Knock Life
By: Maria Hanchuk, Project Manager
Every year, Dove continues to resonate emotionally with its body positivity campaign, and two decades after the campaign's launch they have secured a spot in the Super Bowl. The use ofwhat seems to be authentic videos captured by the public, Dove showcases young girls' ability to fail in their respective sport but ultimately conveys that failure is not the reason for young girls quitting. By leveraging the iconic song "It's The Hard Knock Life" from the musical Annie, Dove exposes the reality of young girls quitting sports due to poor body image and low self-esteem This was a clever tactic not only to align with the theme of their past commercials but also to connect with a younger demographic audience and their parents. It is also important tonote that this was a way to launch their partnership with Nike and the ‘Body Confident Sport’ program. Dove's emotional strategy positions them to garner greater customer loyalty compared to their competitors while also conveying a positive and, in some cases, life-changing message.
Budweiser - Old School Delivery
By: Rosemary Poppe, Digital Account Manager
Budweiser’s Old School Delivery, set in a snow-covered mountain town, makes you warm and fuzzy all over. The return of Budweiser’s signature Clydesdales and their best bud (pun intended), a friendly yellow lab, pull on our nostalgic heartstrings. The eagerness of the animals to help sends a clear message that Bud, and its customers, are worth any harrowing journey.
The drivers receive a hero’s welcome when they arrive at the bar with a wagon full of Bud, allowing Budweiser to convey its appreciation for its distributors. The perspective into the Budweiser supply chain encourages viewers to see Budweiser as more than just a beer or a brand – but as a sum of many hardworking parts (people) – and thus, quintessentially American.
From a marketing perspective, viewers absorb over 10 clear impressions of the Budweiser name and the chosen song reminds us that Bud is exactly what we need to “take a load off” and relax. In direct comparison to many of the Super Bowl commercials featuring well known human celebrities, Budweiser’s celebrities are its Clydesdales – four-legged friends who are guaranteed to please viewers.
Fun fact: the yellow lab featured in this commercial is named Roy Hawn Russel and belongs to none other than celebrity couple, Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russel.
Bud Light - Easy Night Out
By: Ariele Lee, Lead Designer
This commercial had a lot of potential to be incredibly clever. The ad itself was a standard, run-of-the-mill premise including a wish-granting-geniethat ends with the characters wishing to go to the Super Bowl. However, at the conclusion of the ad they cut to a live feed of the gameand a few of the actors/celebrities were in the standsin characterandcostume, continuing the concept as if the story were actually happening. The moment was surprising and clever, bleedinga silly idea into the real word for added impact.
However, the shot didn’t linger enough for the other people at my super bowl party to recognize the characters or understandthe concept was continuing to play out. Seemed like a missed opportunity to do some sort of real-worldPR, experiential storydesignto the campaign, maybecutting back and forth betweenthe real world and the ad world, or ending the adstory within the stands itself, or even just lingering on each character a little longer. However,the cut was a little too unmemorable, and a little too short. Props to the creative team for the idea! It just needed a little extra push at execution which is where they probably ran into logistical issues that inhibited the final outcome.
It’s difficult to come across news articles these days that don’t mention Taylor Swift in some record-breaking way. Whether it’s multiple tracks of her album dominating the Billboard 100s, concerts selling out shows – breaking Ticketmaster to the point of policy change and entirely shifting/boosting the American economy – concert movies breaking theater records in an era where the movie theater industry has been struggling to fill seats, or her dating life with football star Travis Kelce revitalizing interest in the NFL for a new demographic, Taylor Swift has become somewhat mythic in the pantheon of American idols. The simple authenticity that permeates her songs about crushes, love, and imagination have remained resonate across ages, and it’s come to the point where Taylor Swift’s presence has developed into an homage to girlhood, to Americana-core, and to the sort of long-standing powerful nostalgia that is difficult to find in an era where trends come and go faster than water.
It's difficult to know what an ordinary individual can learn from this level of superstardom. We as consumers can only marvel as spectators, enjoy her music or her shows, or simply nod passively in acknowledgement at the name if we’ve never really resonated with her material.
But what I think is interesting about the Taylor Swift Effect is that it brings to attention the power that loving a thing can not only have on an individual, but on an entire community.
America is in a period of deconstruction. Deconstruction of once long held American values, of religion, of identity, of politics, of media, of society, and the list goes on. The tentpoles of what used to easily hold our American ideologies together under a neat bow come into question daily as the world undergoes intense changes and diverse challenges. Changes and challenges that are now more visible and accessible than ever with social media and the internet. And while change is not only necessary but inevitable, one disheartening side effect of it becoming such a spectacle is the loss of belief.
The loss of belief is the loss of easily loving a thing for not only what it means to you but what it means to a collective. It’s the loss of being in awe of a symbol, and for being in awe in general. It’s a moving experience that can reorient a person in the direction of purpose and motivation and joy. But it’s also a simple experience, unencumbered with the complexity and nuance we often ask of our leaders, our teachers, and ourselves especially as media bombards us with a million new views. So, to choose into the experience of simple joys especially in an age where everything is visible, we must find ourselves indulging all the way, incautiously, wholly, and deeply into things that bring us together.
Something important to remember when it comes to the work we do, no matter the industry we’re in, the role we have, the person we are, is to enjoy and pay attention to things that cause this kind of unity and excitement. Even if you don’t listen to her music, it’s hard to ignore her impact. And maybe you don’t even like Taylor Swift, her personality, or her music. Because again, so many others do.
So, to find the Taylor Swift effect in our ordinary lives is to be excited about the shows everyone is watching at the office, to talk about the commercial at the Superbowl everyone remembered, the meme circulating social media, the trend we decided to participate in, the client everyone loved, or even the day at work where everyone was on the same wavelength. To find the Taylor Swift effect is to find anything that collectively revitalized our beliefs in what it means to find lively meaning, together. Even if on a much smaller scale.
When we all do this, we not only revitalize our personal economies, communities, and experiences, but we also allow significance to re-enter the daily grind. Maybe not at Ticketmaster-breaking-box-office-smashing levels. But levels, nonetheless. Deeply personal levels that make you remember what you like about your job, the people in your life, or the little rituals of your day.
When we do this, we allow ourselves to be excited by the value of it all, to celebrate that we don’t only exist in vacuums of lonely existential consciousness but exist among other people whose experiences are just as actual as ours. We allow ourselves to be a fan in the back row of a Taylor Swift concert, screaming about the agony of an unrequited crush at the top of our lungs among a sold-out show of tens of thousands, in total admiration that everyone out there is fully present.
Something unique about working for a marketing agency is that all forms of creativity must be tethered to an objective. Here, art isn’t just expression – it’s precise strategy.
As an artist, at the very least your baseline knowledge of design, color, typography, composition, geometry, white space, aesthetics, trending styles, etc. needs to be top of class. That knowledge is why you’re getting hired. However, good design is only the foundation. You are more than just an artist. You are a marketer, a thinker, a strategist.
Aside from aesthetics, here are a few principles I employ when designing a brand:
Be Memorable
Solid brand identity achieves recognizability at “first glance.” Many times, brands have limited time, real estate, and budgets to pull off making a name for themselves. Every second counts. This means designs must combine elegant simplicity with complex messaging into a single punchy product. From colors, to the form, to resonating visual themes, designs must stand out. And stand out well.
Think Like a Consumer
As an artist it may be natural to think about designs from a solely aesthetic perspective. But designers also need to think about how a consumer may be interacting, interpreting, or remembering these designs. Consumers don’t always have an artistic eye. So, if your design is too abstract without being clear in its messaging, or is hard to read, or doesn’t resonate with the target audience, the designer may need to rethink “how can I help my audience appreciate what they’re seeing?” It may mean adjusting, simplifying, or clarifying your vision.
Achieve Multiple Goals
Good design should be able to juggle multiple things at once with precision. Is your brand identity elegant? Representing the industry well? Standing out against the industry well? Achieving the tone and goals of the client? Easy for other designers to utilize? Good design balances all without blinking an eye.
Designing a brand isn’t only about creativity. It’s about understanding some of the most abstract parts of the human experience and then turning them into concrete products. Good designs are beautiful. But the best designs achieve goals.
Anheuser-Busch's recent collaboration with transgender social media influencer, Dylan Mulvaney, sought to generate publicity for Bud Light during the NCAA March madness tournament this spring. What resulted was an enormous controversy that sparked a mass call to boycott the brand. The overwhelming backlash that Anheuser-Busch received for working with Mulvaney will undoubtedly have significant repercussions into the future as corporations weigh the outcomes of explicitly promoting their values in marketing campaigns, or even just implicating their values as was done with this recent collaboration with Mulvaney. With a backdrop of increasingly divisive politics in the US, brands must decide whether to advocate for social issues and risk alienating some of their consumer base or remain neutral in the face of heated current events.
Brand activism isn’t new
Partisan politics appearing in marketing is not a new phenomenon. Issues like abortion rights, BLM, LGBTQ+ visibility, and gun laws are just several of the hotly debated topics that have surfaced over the past couple decades as businesses engage with brand activism. Over ten years ago, JC Penney launched a campaign that featured a lesbian couple and their daughter. The campaign was met with outrage from some, including the conservative mother’s group One Million Moms who protested the company on the basis of “protecting their children” (Block, 2012). Other brands have similarly incited controversy due to treading in political waters. For example, Disney’s CEO Bob Chapek explicitly opposed Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay Bill,’ resulting in Gov. Ron DeSantis’ attempt to revoke the corporation’s special land tax status. In 2018, Nike featured Colin Kaepernick in their Just Do It campaign with the message “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything” after the football quarterback kneeled in protest during the National Anthem. Nike initially lost 3% in its share prices, but within four days the brand’s online sales increased by 31% (Birch, 2022).
Consumer Brand Identification: a theoretical framework
So, is the risk of controversy and negative press worth it for these companies to engage in brand activism that could potentially generate stronger customer loyalty? From a theoretical perspective, Consumer Brand Identification Theory explains how self-identification affects loyalty (and disloyalty) to certain brands. This framework posits that agreement/disagreement between the self and the brand is the basis for consumers’ decision-making in supporting or renouncing a brand. Researchers Sourjo Mukherjee and Niek Althuzien found that brand-identification produces an asymmetric effect, contrary to previous studies demonstrating that self-brand agreement generally leads to positive marketing results (2020). That is, while self-brand disagreement regarding a brand’s values produces negative attitudes toward the brand, self-brand agreement did not generate a significant change in attitude toward the brand. This asymmetric effect on consumer attitudes and behaviors would suggest that taking a social stance only results in negative outcomes, and not vice versa.
Behaviors and attitudes in the real world
Consumer brand-identification is a strong theoretical foundation, but real people seem to have different perspectives about brand activism. According to a 2018 study by Sprout Social, almost two-thirds of consumers want brands to connect with them, regardless of political affiliation. On top of that, the survey found that 78% want brands to use their social presence to bring people together.Despite the seemingly asymmetric effects of brand-identification theory, real consumers want and expect brands to use their social platforms to spread positive values and connect people. Data from the 2023 Edelman Trust survey corroborates these results with 63% of consumers saying that they buy or advocate for brands based on beliefs and values. Consumers recognize the power of social media and are looking for companies to speak about relevant socio-political issues on their platforms.
The jury’s out…
The jury’s still out on whether activism in marketing is advantageous in the long term or if it risks driving away consumers. Some argue that brands’ addressing social issues only exacerbates political polarization and alienates customers with opposing views (Zahn, 2022). However, there is also evidence supporting the idea that taking a stance can lead to increased consumer loyalty. The Edelman survey found that when customers felt connected to brands, more than half would increase their spending with the brand and 76% would buy from them over a competitor (2023). With all this said, brands need to prioritize the issues important to their customer base to build stronger connections and ultimately increase sales. Aerie, for example, has incorporated #AerieREAL into their branding which celebrates body inclusivity and fosters much stronger customer relationships. There’s a lot to consider when connecting with and appealing to a certain consumer base – customer expectations and age demographics just to name a couple of things. Ultimately, the choice to engage in socio-political brand activism relies on building a connection with consumers, leading to greater brand loyalty and increased sales for the company.
We're throwing it back to 2018 — when Target celebrated the opening of its new storefront on the Lower East Side, Target — and when production partner, David Stark, created fake storefront facades mirroring the street as it was in the 70s. Included was an “homage” to famed NYC dive bar/music venue CBGB (the venue was shuttered in 2006). CBGB is considered the mecca of punk rock and new-wave, the place where bands like Blondie and the Ramones cut their teeth. The installation featured Target-branded exercise bands, and band-aids (get it?), as well as a poster inscribed with “The Resistance”. The installation was met with the expected outrage and ire, forcing Target to issue an apology.
Why were people so miffed about a squeaky-clean brand co-opting the likeness of a dingy, dirty, club? It comes down to authenticity, or the lack thereof.
Among many things, the internet has afforded us the opportunity to find our tribes, and our identities as individuals are linked to these groups — and to be honest, brands toe a fine line when trying to connect with these communities. Whether you are a yogi or a gearhead, you can sniff out fraud from a mile away.
As a brand, you must be aware of the emotional connections that people have to their tribes. If you do not take that into consideration, the results are cringe-worthy and can derail your standing within that group. Trust us, you will know when you missed the mark. (One should never underestimate the power of the comments section. People can be savage.) Musicians, fitness buffs, makeup artists and nerds are all passionate about their niches. Everyone knows you are trying to sell them something. How do you execute on that pitch? Well, therein lies a world of subtlety. As an agency, our role is to help brands understand what makes tribes tick, and then to find the best ways to speak their language.
But language extends beyond words. Color, photography, and tone of voice must be in lockstep with each other. Not only do you have to create an emotional connection, you must position yourself as an insider, someone who has been in the trenches with your customer. You saw the Talking Heads play at CBGB. You, too, get up at 5 AM to flip tractor tires. You know the best drug-store mascara. These kinds of insights are revealed through talking with your customers, and most importantly, listening to them. It must feel real, and that is hard.
As a creative partner, and as members of many different tribes, we bring a diverse set of beliefs and experiences to the table. We can be that objective eye. Let us help you understand your customers and deliver creative that truly connects. The last thing you want is to be the TRGT of an angry tribe.
