• Woke-washing undermines the advertising industry’s credibility and trust.
• The man who holds the wallet to one of the biggest global makers of consumables said his firm will not work with advertisers who have a record of woke-washing.
Image: COURTESY
Unilever CEO Alan Jope has warned industry players against marketing that does not deliver to consumers, saying it has led to a dented trust in advertising.
"Woke-washing is infecting...polluting purpose. It’s putting in peril the very thing which offers us the opportunity to help tackle many of the world’s issues," he said.
The CEO spoke during the world's biggest gathering for the entire creative marketing community, the 2019 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
Woke-washing is the applying of purposeful marketing to lead campaigns by using the language and imagery of worthy causes to increase sales, without producing real results.
He warned that if this continues, it will destroy trust in the advertising industry, a commodity that is already in short supply.
“Purpose is one of the most exciting opportunities I’ve seen for this industry in my 35 years of marketing. Done properly, done responsibly, it will help us restore trust in our industry, unlock greater creativity in our work, and grow the brands we love,” Jope said.
He said there are too many examples of brands undermining purposeful marketing by launching campaigns which do not back up what their brand says with what their brand does.
"Purpose-led brand communications is not just a matter of ‘make them cry, make them buy’. It’s about action in the world,” Jope said.
He urged advertisers and their agencies to hold each other to account, agencies to reject campaign briefs from brands that don’t walk the talk on purpose and promised that agencies with a track record of purpose-washing won’t work on Unilever brands.
He said 64 per cent of consumers said they choose brands because of their stand on social issues, as more consumers rapidly shift towards brands that embrace a role in society that goes well beyond what they sell.
The man who holds the wallet to one of the biggest global makers of consumables said his firm will not work with advertisers who have a record of woke-washing.
“Unilever will not be part of false purpose and will not work with those who are. But – we will celebrate and reward the brilliant work and power of creativity that can be unlocked by putting issues that matter at the centre of what our brands do and what they say,” he added.
He called on the advertising industry to come up with creative ideas that move people, change perceptions and inspire action, which drive the behavioural and cultural change that will fix the challenges of today.