Right before our break, we took a deeper look into how corporate social responsibility looks in the world of the Reputation Economy, where a brand’s (or a house of brands’) seemingly disparate actions are judged by consumers as a single experience. In the post, we pointed out that Pepsi’s notable efforts as part of their Refresh program were being suddenly undermined by their sponsorship of a sketchy nutritional blog. Oops.
Well, almost on cue, Pepsi took a giant step towards redemption. Under the umbrella of their Refresh project, Pepsi earmarked $1.3 million to specifically address the Gulf recovery project, and are currently considering over 250 ideas. This approach is pitch perfect, with the smart folks at PSFK summing it up best:
“Pepsi’s approach feels honest and sincere – it doesn’t try to hype Pepsi’s role in the cleanup, but rather empowers consumers to play that role – the brand simply pledges financial backing to execute the best ideas. Additionally, it’s not overly sentimental (no images of dead birds, or burning turtles) – just an actionable, empowered attitude to help fix a problem.”
That’s exactly right, and brands looking to score an authentic CSR victory should take note. But, in the context of our earlier discussion about the Reputation Economy, there’s another lesson worth noting. We mentioned that reputation is now a long-term process that requires continuous attention, and if done properly, will resonate with consumers on a deep emotional level (even in spite of an occasional misstep). Sure, the Pepsi nutritional blog was a dumb move, but rather than fighting the blog’s critics, Pepsi acknowledged their mistake, took down the ill-advised project, and doubled-down on a cause program that will make a legitimate, impactful difference in the lives of an entire region’s population. Put another way, the way they undid their bad was to do even more good. And that, folks, is why it’s called the Reputation Economy. Your brand is the sum of a mental calculation, a tradeoff between the trust you’ve inspired in your consumers (both directly and indirectly) and the impacts you’re making on the world. Authentic, effective good deeds will go a long way towards tipping the scales in your favor.
While the “Refresh the Gulf” project seems hit the right notes, something about doesn’t quite pass the smell test. Tying a corporate Social Media program to an environmental disaster can be tricky. One man’s authentic cause marketing can easily be another’s shameless hucksterism.
Here are a few thought on how Pepsi might consider refreshing (sorry for the pun) the “Refresh The Gulf” effort: http://ht.ly/2ks2N
http://www.quisenblog.com
Hi Mickey, thanks for the response.
You make some fair points, especially about whether it’s more important for Pepsi to make an immediate impact on the Gulf.
That being said, it’s probably a bit hasty to dismiss Refresh the Gulf as a shameless ploy for attention. Pepsi has spent the better part of a year developing the Refresh platform and familiarizing consumers with how the model works, so it’s reasonable for them to fit their Gulf efforts into this established platform.
Moreover, this is a case where doing something is infinitely better than doing nothing at all. Had Pepsi staked its reputation on community improvement, but then ignored the plight in the Gulf, then their campaign would have REALLY failed the authenticity test. To paraphrase the above quote from PSFK, Pepsi approached this situation with the right tone: pledging money, involving the community in applying the funds, and not hyping themselves as the region’s saviors.
Pingback: Tweets that mention How to Fight Back in the Battle for Your Reputation « The Awesome Blog (.net) -- Topsy.com