When brands take a stand they need to understand the risks, take them in a calculated way, and be cognizant of the possible outcomes in advance.

Brand owners have to make difficult choices on many things; where and how their products and services are distributed, how they communicate, what media platforms to choose, which creative vehicles to use (celebrities, influencers, music, etc), what kind of events to be associated with, how they use data and AI (Artificial Intelligence)… the list goes on.

And brands can choose to take more (or less) of an activist stance as part of their positioning, like Patagonia does on environmental and climate matters.

Many of these crucial decisions marketers make can impact brand success, but they are also fraught with risk, as consumers also have opinions and share thoughts on social media channels that may go viral at lightning speed.