Unit 4: Reputation and Relationships, Issues and Crises, Media Relations, and Global PR

Corporate Activism in PR: Should Brands Take a Stand?

Introduction: The Rise of Corporate Social Advocacy

Corporate Social Advocacy (CSA) is an important and increasingly complex issue in public relations due to the increasing number of social issues that organizations have to take positions on, whether that means advocating for racial equality, protecting the environment, and supporting LGBTQ+ rights. After listening to Stories and Strategies for Public Relations and The Evolution of Corporate Activism, I strongly believe that organizations must speak out on social issues, but they have to be true to their values.

It is clear that today’s public demands transparency from organizations. As reported by the Harvard Business Review, companies are judged not just based on their products anymore but also on “what they stand for.”

A handshake symbolizing partnership, trust, and collaboration between organizations or individuals working toward a shared goal.

Source: Unsplash

📺 Understanding corporate activism (video overview)

When Corporate Activism Works (and When It Doesn’t)

Corporate activism done right could improve relations with various stakeholders.

Benefits include:

Greater customer loyalty
Highly motivated employees
Differentiation of the brand
Reputation benefits in the long run

According to the Institute for Public Relations, purposeful communication can help build trust when actions align with messaging.

Risks of Taking a Stand

However, CSA also comes with serious risks:

Alienating customers with opposing beliefs
Being accused of “performative activism”
Internal employee disagreement
Public backlash if actions don’t match messaging

Forbes notes that inconsistency between messaging and behavior can cause “reputation whiplash” and long-term trust damage (Forbes Communications Council, 2022).

Connection to Course Podcasts

The podcasts also stress that corporate activism in the modern context is neither incidental nor optional but rather a calculated strategy. As mentioned by Dr. Philip Mirvis, for successful CSA, it is important to align mission, culture, and communication. The absence of alignment will lead to risks in the area of activism.

According to Doug Downs, people easily recognize dishonesty, and therefore, credibility becomes the most precious resource in PR decisions.

My Perspective as a Future PR Professional

As far as public relations go, CSA is a choice that must be made on a strategic level rather than one driven by trends. Some questions need to be asked:

Is this an issue that our organization cares about?
Do we practice what we preach?
How will the stakeholders perceive this decision?

As Public Relations Society of America suggests, any corporate activism must be credible and backed by action and not just rhetoric (PRSA, 2022).

Conclusion

It must be noted that corporate social activism cannot be inherently viewed as either good or bad, as it all depends upon how it is done. In cases where companies remain sincere and consistent, corporate social activism may serve to enhance reputation. On the other hand, it may do more harm than good in cases where it is mere performance. Ultimately, effective corporate activism requires careful planning, consistency, and long-term commitment from organizations.

References:

Bhagwat, Y., & Warren, D. (2020). The new rules of corporate activism. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2020/01/the-new-rules-of-corporate-activism

Forbes Communications Council. (2022). The risks of brand activism. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2022/06/01/the-risks-of-brand-activism/

Institute for Public Relations. (2021). Corporate social advocacy and trust. https://instituteforpr.org/corporate-social-advocacy/

Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). (2022). Corporate activism and reputation management. https://www.prsa.org/article/corporate-activism-reputation-management

Downs, D. (Host). (n.d.). Taking an organizational stand on social issues. Is it worth it? [Audio podcast episode]. Stories and Strategies for Public Relations. https://open.spotify.com/episode/5UaweN3No4zcVxfJSWsgQ6

Mirvis, P. (Guest). (n.d.). The evolution of corporate activism [Audio podcast episode]. Stories and Strategies for Public Relations. https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-evolution-of-corporate-activism-with-guest/id1677375263?i=1000650064877

Keywords/Tags: #CorporateActivism #PublicRelations #BrandReputation #CSR #StakeholderCommunication