The rise of brand activism

Is it impactful?

Toymaker Hasbro has joined the long list of brands like PepsiCo, P&G, and J&J who have made changes to their logos, product names, or mascots over the past year to address various social issues like racism and gender identity. This report delves into people’s opinions about these brand actions and the impact on buying attitudes. Businesses can leverage this data in their decision-making.

Hasbro created quite a stir last month when it decided to drop the “Mr.” from its Potato Head brand name and logo to make its popular toy line gender-neutral. In doing so, it has become the latest brand that is reinventing itself to stay in sync with the ground sentiment and discourse on bias and inclusivity, especially in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement. As brands scramble to accommodate consumer demands, several questions arise on the authenticity of such actions and their tangible outcomes. Is brand activism convincing enough to impact consumer choices and decisions, or is it merely pandering to the ongoing culture war? Piplsay polled 30,221 Americans nationwide to get some insights. Here is a summary of what we found:

Other Insights

• 55% of men view brand activism positively as compared to 45% of women
• 57% of Millennials say brand activism impacts both their brand impression and buying behavior as compared to 43% of Gen Zers
• 33% of Gen Xers and 30% of Millennials believe brands engage in activism only because of the ongoing culture war

Survey Methodology: This Piplsay survey was conducted nationwide in the US from March 20-22, 2021. We received 30,221 online responses from individuals aged 18 years and older.