How creators can help FMCG brands disrupt the status quo

We Are Social has launched an FMCG edition of their Next Gen Influence report, outlining five trends defining a new era of brand and creator collaboration. Here, we break down one of those trends – Influential Allies – and discuss its implications for FMCG brands.

To discuss how this or any of our other trends could work for your brand, please get in touch below and we’d be happy to discuss further with you.

Influential Allies

Social media has made it easier than ever for anyone to engage in activism, to greater or lesser degrees. Whether protesting injustices, or pushing for equal rights for marginalised groups, our newsfeeds have become a powerful tool for driving real world change. 

In recent years however, creators and brands have been increasingly called out for performative actions that fall short of meaningfully impacting the issues at hand. As audiences lose patience with practices like pinkwashing during Pride Month, or the hijacking of trending hashtags around social justice movements, creators are shifting away from talking about values, and are instead opting for work that actively disrupts or challenges the status quo. 

This behaviour takes a variety of forms, whether by helping audiences imagine alternative societies or other possible futures, or reclaiming online spaces for the under-represented. The creator Peet Montzingo for example is the only member of his family who was born without dwarfism. He uses his platform to help change societal attitudes towards this condition, generating an outpouring of positive sentiment from his large audience.

Actions beyond simple representation

For FMCG brands, this represents an opportunity to go beyond simple representation and evaluate which communities they can make a genuine impact on. Dove, for example, recently partnered with Venus Williams to donate sports bras and tennis lessons to boost self-confidence in young girls. 

Compassionate collaborations

FMCG brands can also find success by collaborating at an organisational level on change-driving creator activations. Gatorade, for example, recently used their partnership with NFL to challenge outdated stereotypes of the sport. This season’s launch campaign featured a more diverse set of talent, including flag footballers, which helped to acknowledge an increasingly diverse fan base, as well as the increasing role of women in the modern game.

End-to-end support

When working with marginalised individuals, accurate and nuanced representation is just a first step – after-care should also be a key component of a culturally-sensitive activation. Beauty creator Jools Lebron, who recently went viral for adding the word “demure” to our summer vocabulary, has revealed ongoing struggles to finance her gender transition, as well as fight off copyright claims to her now-famous catchphrase. Situations like these are further opportunities for FMCG brands to provide more sincere assistance beyond purely transactional partnerships.

For creators, performative altruism is out; allyship and passing-it-on is in.

Discover more trends and how FMCG brands can use them in Next Gen Influence: FMCG Edition.

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