OPINION:
This year, the blunders of two major brands, Bud Light and Target, confused me. Both incidents triggered a conservative firestorm and revealed a startling lack of basic business sense.
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These missteps are a clear warning against the dangers of politicized marketing. They also remind companies to focus on the core audience’s authentic needs and emotional connections to the brand. As someone who spent over a decade as a brand manager and consultant, I can’t help but feel frustrated seeing companies neglecting fundamental business principles and, in the process, harming their bottom line. It’s a head-scratcher.
Bud Light’s venture into influencer marketing with Dylan Mulvaney triggered a significant backlash within its core demographic, young men aged 20-30. It also managed to divide the country’s music industry! The brand’s mistakes exposed a profound lack of understanding of its target market. The disconnect between a brand touting camaraderie and male bonding, juxtaposed with Dylan’s cross-dressing portrayal of womanhood, left consumers bewildered.
The Mulvaney campaign was a political disaster, highlighting the consequences of change without listening to and respecting your consumer base.
Similarly, Target faced a backlash with its promotion of “tuck-friendly” transgender bathing suits. To gain a clearer understanding of how off course they ventured, I researched the store’s brand promise. I discovered it centers on enhancing the joy of everyday life for all families. The brand’s incongruent move to drive attention to the relatively small transgender market left parents struggling to explain confusing concepts to their children, overshadowing the brand’s commitment to making shopping quick and easy for families. Instead, most moms and dads wanted to flee the store before further explanations to a persistent 4-year-old were required.
SEE ALSO: Bud Light no longer top-selling U.S. beer amid Dylan Mulvaney backlash
The ongoing question is simple: Why does this keep happening? When did Americans in Texas or Tennessee go from being valued customers to mere data points for TikTok algorithms? Brands must recognize our nation’s diversity of thought and lifestyle preferences and realize that every customer contributes to the bottom line.
Milton Friedman’s timeless wisdom is relevant once again. He proposed businesses focus on strategies to drive economic growth, which ultimately enhances social well-being instead of engaging in trendy social responsibility campaigns with fewer measurable outcomes.
An essential business lesson learned is to engage with communities directly for deep insights. Visit local stores in Middle America. Participate in hometown gatherings. Interacting with people offers a firsthand understanding of the bond between marketers, retailers, and their communities.
The key to any brand’s success is to craft a message that resonates with the core audience’s needs, steering clear of the uncertain landscape of politicized marketing. Today, too many customers feel disconnected when brands abruptly shift away from their values.
When you speak with church volunteers or Uber drivers, the conversation reveals the diversity and richness of the American economy. Take a moment to listen to people who prefer restaurants with larger portion sizes because they can box up leftovers to maximize value. Talk to people who chose an Android instead of an iPhone. The choices people make, whether they’re calorie-conscious beer drinkers or parents selecting Target for its affordable and family-friendly clothing options, illustrate the intricacies of consumer decision-making.
Americans expect their favorite brands to align with taste, value, and convenience benchmarks. Brand loyalty hinges on consistency, and failure to deliver inevitably leads to brand failure.
In the current polarized environment, the crucial takeaway is this. Brand and marketing executives must actively engage with customers face-to-face. More importantly, they need to respect the customer and listen to them before they risk overlooking how a substantial segment of society engages with their products. Neglecting personal interactions tends to underestimate the inherent value of the market-driven economy they claim to uphold.
My 2024 advice to businesses is to go beyond algorithms and embrace genuine human connections to navigate the intricacies of consumer behavior and societal dynamics.
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Lisa Gable is a CEO, former US Ambassador, UN Delegate, and author of Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestseller “Turnaround – How to Change Course When Things Are Going South.” Lisa is recognized worldwide as a turnaround mastermind and innovative businesswoman and started her career in the Reagan administration.
