Woke-Washed: The Collision of Social Movements and Marketing

In the midst of modern civil rights movements, more companies than ever are publicly aligning their brands with ongoing causes for LGBTQ equality, racial justice, the environment, women’s rights, and more.

From rainbow sneakers for pride month, blog posts from CEOs on racial justice, eco-friendly messaging to help consumers protect the environment, and feminist deodorant ads promoting women’s equality, the age of “woke” marketing has reached a crescendo.

Brands are driven to act by belief-driven buyers, held accountable by cancel culture and employee activism, and ultimately caught in the maelstrom of social movements and marketing colliding.

What’s been missing from the conversation are the humans whose health, safety, and lives depend on these social movements. It’s time to center them in the conversation and ask ourselves - what are the unseen risks of woke-washed marketing? Where is the opportunity for authentic allyship?

In this talk from “unapologetic marketing truth-teller” Katie Martell, you’ll hear:

• The dangerous risks of performative brand allyship
• Examples of lip service and legitimate brand support
• An actionable framework to guide brand stewards