What To Do When The Medium Doesn’t Fit The Messenger?

There’s a whole lotta commotion goin’ on!

A growing number number of big name advertisers are temporarily pulling their purse strings on Facebook and other social media platforms in support of the #StopHateForProfit social media campaign. You can read, listen and watch all about it on virtually every news outlet.

Are they sending the right message?
Is a temporary time out enough?

There have been boycotts, and protests and posts – oh, my! - for years and nothing really changes once the rhetoric moves on to the next news cycle. Every day there is another distraction.

Whether your sharing news, stories or advertising it’s important to make sure your message fits the medium. I mean, printing a radio ad script on a billboard doesn’t work just as a story about local theatre doesn’t belong in an auto mechanic trade journal.

But what happens when the medium doesn’t fit the messenger?
It’s not about audience make-up, it’s about morals, principles and values.

Brands are taking stands more than ever before.
The Business Roundatable recently redefined the Purpose of a Corporation to benefit all stakeholders – customers, employees, suppliers, communities and shareholders.
For years, research confirms that consumers vote with their pocketbook, too.

Today, more than ever, it’s personal.
Business is about relationships and brands need to pay attention to their relationship with consumers and the communities they serve if they want consumers to continue to pay for their products and services.

So what’s a brand to do?
1) Build their own platform?
2) Only support like-minded mediums?
Does one exist?
3) Ride the wave into the sunset like the good guy and go home to business as usual?
4) Fill in the blank _________________________.

Are you buying into the boycott?
Do you plan to stop your Facebook ads, too?

This conversation is just getting started.
What do you have to say?