Brands press pause on social media advertising during election

In response to the election uncertainty, many major brands have toned down their digital marketing efforts on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. The move may be due to brands reluctance to upset consumers or come off as tone deaf, as was the case with Gap Inc. On Thursday morning after election day, Gap tweeted a picture of a hoodie that was half red and half blue, with a message about unifying the country. Given the uncertainly around the election and the stress many consumers were feeling at the time, this advertising came across as extremely out of touch with the mood of the nation. People were frustrated that the brand chose to weigh in on these events in such a vague and general manner, without stepping up and taking a stance. Gap removed the post hours later and saw major backlash. The post brings to mind the Kendall Jenner for Pepsi scandal of a few years ago. Many brands have been trying to capitalize off of the momentum around the election, as consumer's eyes are glued to the news. Absolute Vodka for example ran an extensive campaign about drinking and voting responsibly. However, with the stakes so high any blunder is extremely risky, causing many brands such as Walgreens, Netflix, Kellogg and Hershey to simply hit pause on their social media advertising. 

The issue is part of a larger questions around how brands can weigh in about current events without seeming opportunistic. In general, it seems much more authentic for a brand to speak out if it is consistent with their identity and mission. However hollow statements are easily identified for what they are, and end up angering consumers instead of motivating them. For this reason, many brands chose to stay silent in this moment, recognizing that there are more important things on people's minds than consumption during this historic time. 

Reference: https://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/major-brands-mute-twitter-facebook-advertising-amid-election-chaos/2292266