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There are over 100 entries on Wikipedia's list of social movements. These include veganism, #metoo, men's rights, organic, indigenous rights, black living matter, pro-choice, tea party and eco-feminism. There is a prominent notice on the side: "This list is not all inclusive. You can help by adding more."

But Wikipedia will struggle to keep up with reality. Social movements that are much easier to start, coordinate and grow in the age of social media are flourishing. The new wave of movement is being led and fed by the Millennials known as the "Crusader Generation". A whopping 94% of them want to use their skills for a cause, and 77% have already done charity or change-making.

As the Wikipedia list makes it clear, this isn't soft stuff. Movements arise when injustice, destruction, threat, or sheer frustration over missed opportunities grow so great that people can't help but respond. And movements with a business case, a cost-benefit analysis or a risk matrix rarely come. That's why marketing has to become movement. Mechanistic, manipulative, and worthless to consumers or society, the declining value of traditional advertising has been evident for decades.

Always sensitive to the nuances of youth culture, Nike knew this very well when they decided to step into the hot, tense, and passionate movement of which Colin Kaepernick is now literally the figurehead. I have no doubt that Nike both anticipated and bet on the controversy. Because unlike 99.9% of brand marketing, joining a movement makes your message inevitable and memorable. British broadcaster Channel 4 recently found that 60% of 16- to 24-year-olds say they notice ads more when they deal with important topics.

There's a clear distinction between this movement and the branding purpose – although the most successful companies tend to have both. Brand purpose is about your business. While exercise is about your consumer: what interests them and how you work with them to change the world.

Your brand has three ways to achieve this:

1. Give a vote

Brands have recognition, media spending, and creative power. These are powerful gifts when put at the service of a movement and with a massive payback on consumer relevance. How good looks

• Sky – As a broadcaster, Sky uses its powerful voice with the audience to support the movement against single-use plastic.
• Jigsaw – the clothing brand added their voice to the movement that supports and values ​​immigration and refugees.

2. Manufacture the product

The most effective way to join a movement is through your core product or service. This really puts sustainability at the heart of your brand:

• Barbie – With new iconic, diverse, and body positive dolls, Barbie transformed from enemy into a leader of the women's movement.
• Adidas – entered the heart of the anti-pollution movement with their ocean plastic shoe.

3. Incite action

Of course, you have to live what you preach, and so do your consumers. You can inspire your consumers to make a difference with behavior changes, calls-to-action, and services to make change easier:

• REI – the #optoutside movement has changed consumer behavior, and millions have chosen to spend time outdoors instead of shopping on Black Friday – and REI provides a searchable database and guideline to find an outdoor space near you.
• Levi & # 39; s – Using Multiple Touch Points (Including Care Labels) to Change Consumer Behavior Towards Water Conservation and Circular Economy.

Is it safe for a brand to start or operate a movement? No Making a move is daring, important, and the ultimate POV. If you are smart the risks are manageable, but there will always be someone who doesn't agree with you as to what it is more about.

It is also possible to do this very badly. If you are merely creating a communication campaign or if you are not practicing what you preach, the cost is significant. Audi tried to adapt to the empowerment movement of women through a SuperBowl ad. But their poor performance on gender equality and the embarrassingly low number of older women in management have been rightly ridiculed.

Remember, your consumers really believe in their moves. So you have to ask – right? The way to begin this transition from marketing to physical activity is to ask what you stand for as a company. Every business has values, founding missions, and cultural truths and these are the seeds of the movements you should serve. And if you stand for nothing, you will likely still be caught up in a movement that is fighting you.

Because, as the popular saying goes, if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.

Contribution to the brand strategy Insider By: Solitaire Townsend, Co-founder of Futerra. Author of The Happy Hero – How to Change Your Life by Changing the World

The Blake Project Can Help: Please email us to learn more about our purpose, mission, vision and values, as well as our brand culture workshops.

Brand Strategy Insider is a service from The Blake Project: A strategic brand consultancy specializing in brand research, brand strategy, brand growth and branding

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