Read “When a Brand Stands Up for Racial Justice, Do People Buy It?” located in the Topic 8 Resources. The authors wrote the article in response to the recent media attention around social justice initiatives triggered by the killing of Black people by police officers. The authors use the idea of “brand authenticity” as a way to gauge the sincerity of the brand as it relates to social issues. The authors assert that brand authenticity has two orientations, corporate (as defined by issues of continuity and credibility) and social (as defined by integrity and symbolism).
Read “The Price of Being Political” located in the Topic 8 Resources for an additional perspective on this topic.
Finally, read “We Stand With the Black Community” located in the Topic 8 Resources. Levi Strauss is an iconic American brand. The president of Levi Strauss & Company posted a letter on the company website about the same time this article was written.
Refer back to “When a Brand Stands Up for Racial Justice, Do People Buy It?” Using the four-windowpane matrix in the article titled, “Consumer Perceptions of Authenticity of Racial Justice Brand Actions,” evaluate Levi Strauss’s response.
In 300-350 words, briefly address the following:
- Define brand authenticity and the two orientations (corporate and social), and assess Levi Strauss. Is their response one of Atone, Allure, Acknowledge, or Advocate? Or are they a combination of the four responses? Defend your choice(s).
- What does this lead you to conclude about Levi Strauss as a brand? Does the brand’s stand make you more or less positive toward the brand, whether you purchase Levi’s or not?
APA style
Resource: https://hbr.org/2020/07/when-a-brand-stands-up-for-racial-justice-do-people-buy-it?PostID=17880244&utm_medium=email&utm_source=rasa_io