What is woke-washing in marketing?

Woke-washing is a term used to describe marketing campaigns in which brands allegedly express their views on current social and political issues and problems, ignoring their own contribution to the negative climate, all with the aim of making a profit. In advertising, the company emphasizes progressive values ​​in order to collect points and create a loyal customer base to which they will present themselves as "good guys". For example, recent studies have shown that as many as 81% of millennials expect brands to publicly address certain societal issues, so it is clear why brands feel pressured to raise their voice.

Brands often express their views on relevant social issues through marketing, but problems arise when they behave contrary to what their campaign is about. For example, Nike created a campaign in which it advocated for gender equality. Unfortunately, at the same time, the brand refused to pay maternity leave to the runner it had sponsored until then.

In 2017, Audi made a feminist advertisement in which it advocated equal pay, but later it turned out that out of fourteen executives, as many as their executive team consists of, there were only two women.

Some leaders, through their actions and commitment to important values, have encouraged real positive changes in society. For example, Telenor, in cooperation with the Supernatural movement, took the initiative and planted a large number of seedlings, thus creating the first labyrinth park. In that way, they encouraged others to do the same, but also contributed to the preservation of ecology and the environment. Telenor Garden was built on Ada Huja.

Alpha and Piraeus Bank were the first ones to help the most endangered people when the floods hit Serbia in 2014. Alpha Bank made a donation to the the Red Cross in the amount of 1.1 million dinars. Also, their employees joined the volunteer humanitarian action and collected donations for the most endangered citizens who were affected by natural disasters.

It is necessary for the company to take a stand, at the same time contributing to solving a specific problem. Raising awareness of the problem is a positive step, but only when the problem is in the first place solved within the company. Every company should strive for social responsibility and ethical business. However, only truly committed and responsible brands can create positive change.

Sources: SheThePeople, Venice Diplomatic Society, Edition: Leaders of Social Responsibility 2014