In a time when companies are being more vocal about their values—an encouraging and positive development—the data is not so positive for brands. According to Edelman’s 2019 Trust Barometer Special Report: In Brands We Trust, only one-third of consumers trust the brands they use and buy. Eighty-one percent of respondents said they must be able to trust the brand to do what is right, but more than half (56 percent) believe brands use societal issues as a marketing gimmick to make a profit.

“Woke-washing,” when brands talk about making a difference but fail to back it up with true action, is a red flag for consumers and brands who are truly working toward making positive societal or environmental change.

We’ve all seen examples of brands saying one thing and doing another, or for voicing their values in an inauthentic, gimmicky way. Consumers can see straight through this. Nike recently made headlines for creating ads touting their support of female athletes in all stages of their careers when in reality, they reduce or stop paying many of their sponsored athletes who become pregnant. Pepsi’s 2017 ad with Kendall Jenner received immediate backlash for its tone-deaf representation of the Black Lives Matter movement, resulting in Pepsi pulling the ad from circulation. Gillette’s #MeToo ad fared slightly better, with most praising the company for sparking discussions about masculinity, but some consumers and critics felt they strayed too far from their lane.

At the 2019 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity last week, Unilever CEO Alan Jope spoke about woke-washing: “There are too many examples of brands undermining purposeful marketing by launching campaigns which aren’t backing up what their brand says with what their brand does. Purpose-led brand communications is not just a matter of ‘make them cry, make them buy’. It’s about action in the world.”

So what should brands do?

• Walk your talk: As we saw with Nike, when companies fail to support their words with action, consumer trust plummets and they view it as just another marketing ploy to turn a profit. Your brand can and should take a stand, but the first step is to take a look both internally and externally and make sure your actions will support your marketing messaging.
• Be authentic: Authentic connections drive the most impact, and consumers can tell when a connection seems shaky at best (like Pepsi and protesting). Patagonia takes a stand for the environment because they are an outdoor clothing company, and their customers care about preserving national parks and conservationism. A strategic alignment of a brand and a purpose goes a long way with consumers, building trust and growing profits as a result.
• Become a B Corp: Companies who value purpose as much as profit can become a B Corp, like Patagonia, Ben & Jerry’s, and Teak. To become a B Corp, companies must undergo a rigorous certification process that measures a company’s entire societal and environmental impact.

Now is the time for companies to voice their values, stand up, and make a difference. But first, take time to reflect internally on your work, company processes, customer base, and social climate before diving in.