Today’s youth are forming a world where discrimination is becoming intolerable, and businesses have begun to ally with the future rather than the past in hopes of it propelling their profits.
Within the past few years, the younger generations have shaken our government’s foundations by confronting gun violence, sexism, racism, homophobia and much more.
Change is coming quickly, and businesses are hoping to keep up with it. Movements such as the March for Our Lives, #MeToo and Occupy Wall Street have grasped the media’s attention, and with it, the attention of the corporate world. It’s evident when looking at corporate reaction to such movements. After #MeToo broke out, brands began to alter their marketing towards women. J.C. Penney launched its “Style and Value for All” quickly following #MeToo, in attempts to relate to a wider range of women.
Companies such as Apple, Nike and Google are noticing that many incoming youth are extremely progressive. Let’s dissect Nike for a moment. Their target market is people aged 15-40. They are known to sponsor athletes of all backgrounds ranging from Serena Williams to Lebron James, and many others. Their sponsored athletes tend to be engaged in social causes that many youths support, such as gender equality, poverty and education.
Serena Williams proves to be a role model for aspiring tennis players— particularly those of color— and she actively fights against sexism. She also supports numerous charities and foundations.
Lebron James is one of the most well known athletes, and he uses his fame to go outside of the court. He had a rough upbringing and acts as a role model to underprivileged students. He actively advocates for equality and recently opened the public I Promise School that provides free meals, bikes and college tuition upon completion of the schools program.
Athletes like Williams and James put these issues at the forefront of their namesake, and with it, it inadvertently associates Nike with their beliefs.
Beyond featuring commendable athletes, Nike aims to be inclusive. They currently sell sport hijabs. Their newest catchphrase is “It’s Only a Crazy Dream Until You Do It”. Nike also released a controversial ad that features Colin Kaepernick focusing on their new slogan. According to The Guardian, their sales rose 31 percent following the ads release.
Brands like Nike are not just selling their products to us, they’re selling their beliefs. In the year 2016, based off of Nike’s fiscal report, their net revenue reached approximately 34.4 billion. Comparatively, a similar athletic brand, New Balance, netted at 3.8 billion in 2016. Yet, both brands are arguably of the same quality. It implies that the youth will rather buy from a strong brand that shares a similar ideology— even if their product is equivalent to or worse than the competitors.
It has become evident that businesses are stepping into uncharted terrain where their brand is no longer just a logo, but a symbol of social issues that have yet to be resolved.
