“BRANDS MUST SOLVE”

Times have changed. In the past, a company could selectively choose the issues it wanted to engage in. This is no more the case, as per Christian Sarkar, co-author of Brand Activism (with Philip Kotler), and co-founder of Wicked 7 Project and Regenerative Marketing Institute

- Soumya Sehgal

WHAT HAPPENS when businesses and consumers don’t share the same values? Or, when employees of a company don’t share the same values as their executives? Here comes the concept of “Brand Activism”.

Brand Activism, according to Christian Sarkar, co-author of ‘Brand Activism’ (with Philip Kotler, consultant) & co-founder of Wicked 7 Project and Regenerative Marketing Institute, consists of business efforts to promote, impede, or direct social, political, economic, and/or environmental reforms with the desire to promote or impede improvements in society. It is driven by a fundamental concern for the biggest and most urgent problems facing society.

Purpose is prime

Sarkar, in an exclusive interaction with BW Businessworld, stated that brands are expected to solve, not aggravate, the world’s biggest problems. “This they must drive through an overarching purpose which they must be true to at all times,” Sarkar said. Expounding on the nuances of this book, Sarkar shared: “In a highly polarised world, it is no longer good enough to be neutral. Furthermore, the issues are going to be chosen by the customer, your employees, and the public at large.”