Are you registered to vote? In our wacky world of politics it’s important for everyone to make sure their voice is heard. And even more so today, with the bizarreness of everything from Kanye to Kavenaugh, we see a public push for people to vote.
Rohit Bhargava wrote in his book “Non-Obvious 2018 Edition: How To Predict Trends And Win The Future” about one trend in 2018 that has become obvious – Enlightened Consumption. Enlightened consumers continue to see their role as employees, audiences, and voters as a chance to make a statement about their social beliefs and the world they chose to live in.
And brands are doing the same. On November 6th, both Uber and Lyft are offering free and discounted rides to help get voters out to their polls. You see, Midterm elections have lousy turnout with maybe 4 in 10 Americans showing up. According to Lyft, 15 million people were registered to vote in 2016 but didn’t because they had transportation issues.
Uber is using it’s app and offering a “Get to the Polls” button helping users find their polls and arrange for transportation to them. Lyft is using their “The Ride to Vote” Campaign to get the word out about their free and discounted rides as well as help finding polling locations.
It really shouldn’t surprise you that 86% of consumers think brands should take a stand on social issues. But don’t jump too fast. A majority of consumers (64%) also believe your efforts should be closely aligned to your organization’s products and services.
There’s a lack of hope and confidence in our world today, as discovered in Edelman’s Insights Survey, with 53% saying the system is failing. Only 15% believe it’s working. There’s a place for your brand to take a stand. Lyft and Uber did. They identified a social problem and chose to use their product to make a practical difference.
So what does your brand stand for?
Ready to make a stand? Consumers are looking for you to do so. Brave brands take a stand and speak up for what they believe. Just make sure it’s relevant to your business.
