We’re living through a monumental time in history in terms of racial equity, global health and the health of our planet. Brands hoping to stay relevant cannot sit on the sidelines or opt out of engaging with the reality of the times we’re living in. Navigating this deeply challenging moment is a huge task, which is why we at Barbarian decided to host an online conference getting experts in business, marketing, media and culture to give their insights on how brands stay culturally relevant right now.

Together with Campbell Soup Company CEO Mark Clouse, ESPN host and entrepreneur Jay Williams, WP Engine CEO Heather Brunner, and Duke University’s Sanyin Siang, we discussed how business and brand leaders advance forward.

Here are some key take-outs:

Understand your brand voice

Brand and business leaders used to be told to avoid engaging with controversy or polarizing social debates. Now the reality is different, and brands need to be part of the conversation. But Mark Clouse pointed out that difficulties arise when the lines blur between the brand voice and the voice of the brand steward. He advised leaders to establish guidelines for teams, so they understand how to differentiate between the brand’s voice and their own.

“We want to be authentic and true to ourselves, but we want to also understand the voice of our brands,” he said.

With the current news cycles around racial injustice and COVID-19, the barrier between personal life and work life is now extremely thin.

Jay Williams is experiencing that dichotomy right now in the sports world and through his role at ESPN. ESPN fired reporter Jemele Hill from the organisation two years ago for posting anti-Trump tweets. Williams talked about the challenges of staying true to his principles as an African American in the highly political world of sport, whilst trying not to alienate ESPN’s core demographic, which is 20-40-year-old white males in the Midwest. He revealed how his father had to have a conversation with him as a child on how to behave if a car he was in was pulled over by the police. “That’s the reality of the world I live in,” he explained. “I try to come at it from an angle of being empathetic and relatable because that’s important, but at the same time there is a delicate balance.”

To show up in culture, be guided by your brand’s personality

In order to identify your brand’s role in culture, you must get some clarity around your brand’s values, history and personality. 

Campbell’s Kettle Brand potato chips started with one man selling natural foods out of the back of his van. The Kettle Brand personality and values stem from these humble beginnings. Clouse pointed out that this origin story gives the brand permission to show up in certain social conversations that other brands might not. Brand guardians can only discover how to be part of culture when they are in touch with the brand’s true personality.

Treat your employees like clients

Diversity is an essential baseline in business today. But inclusion requires listening to those diverse voices and valuing them. Your employees must feel part of your organisation. They must have a share of voice and know their perspective is not only welcomed but sought after. I am not white, but all my life I’ve been trained to be a white executive. I want my team at Barbarian to have a different experience. Barbarian is designed as a place where people can express their true selves, create their own voice, follow their own path and become their own leader.

Embracing diversity and inclusion should also extend to everything your organisation does. Try to make sure the products you design or services you create can be accessed by as many people as possible, regardless of disabilities or income.

In Heather Brunner’s view, we are seeing an equalising effect when it comes to brands, consumers and employees. Consumers care how brands treat their employees and they want to know that brands are supportive of the people working for them. “There is an opportunity for brands of all sizes to really show what they stand for and to do it in creative ways,” she said. “Listen to your employees, let them guide you. Make what’s important to them important to you.”

Your purpose and values must live in your culture

All of our expert panellists agreed that “pretty words” around brand purpose or grand gestures that showcase your values mean nothing if they are not followed up with action. Your values as a business must inform everything that you do. “You’ve got to attack this in the same systemic way you do to turn around a business.” Brunner put it this way: “Your culture is your core values in action.”

Williams noted that success can no longer be defined by how much revenue you generate; it’s about how you operate as a company and the choices you make. He advised that if you make mistakes as a leader, you must own up to them and be honest and transparent. In that way, you can win the trust of both employees and consumers. Acknowledging you have weaknesses and admitting when you are wrong is the only way to grow and advance.

We may be facing the most challenging period in recent history, but, in my view, this is also the best time to make positive change. There is no better moment as a leader to start listening and learning from the people inside and outside your organisation. Now is the time to experiment, to be bold and to take the actions necessary to be on the right side of history.