Brands are using their platforms, especially digitally, to encourage people to vote

Many brands are taking a stance and leaning into the upcoming presidential election, shifting messaging and crafting campaigns to encourage voting this November. Some brands are purely focused on voter registration and others are taking it a step further and moving away from political neutrality. Consumers seek brands that align with their values and companies are banking on this to build brand loyalty. While brands like Patagonia are getting creative and advertising on clothing labels and Footlocker is making use of its retail spaces for physical voter registration locations, digital is the tactic of choice for many companies to reach that younger and more digitally engaged voting aged consumer.

On their websites, companies from Gap to Airbnb are using their homepages to drive voter registration and allowing people to easily lookup their registration status. Snapchat released PSAs to encourage young voters to make their voices heard, including a PSA with former President Obama. Reddit took the approach of shaming customers with an ad reading “If you can vote for this United Steak of America on Reddit, you should vote for real America, too”. Dating site OkCupid is embracing this trend on a whole new level. Melissa Hobley, CMO at OkCupid, said in a statement, “Practicing your right to vote is the biggest turn-on to OkCupid singles today, which is why we launched our Voter 2020 badge this month. Now, we’re using VILF to bring it to life and encourage singles across the nation to register and vote this November, because there’s nothing sexier than exercising your rights to vote”.

It will be interesting to see how brands continue to weigh in as the election approaches and how consumers will respond. A part of me wonders if these companies are taking these steps for publicity and with the hopes of being featured in article like the one off which this post is based. However, does it really matter? Our country is in a critical state and everyone’s vote is important. I appreciate what these companies are doing to reach voters and use their platforms for good. We’ll see if it pays off.

https://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/how-brands-are-getting-voters-polls-and-mailboxes-2020/2281291