2020 was a year for social causes. Here’s how to benefit from it in 2021.

Sure, 2020 was all about the global pandemic. But 2020 also brought us some other monumental shifts in consumer attitudes and behaviors. It was the year that social causes, company policies, and company leadership entered the spotlight. The “Black Lives Matter” and “Me Too” movements sparked more interest and participation—fueled, in part, by consumers’ responses to the feeling of powerlessness in the midst of the global pandemic.

In years past, consumers have talked about the importance of buying from brands that support social causes and environmental causes. And brands, for their part, have acknowledged it as an important component of an overall communication strategy. But Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) are now becoming necessities, not options. Consumers are saying “We’re Better Than This,” and specifically seeking brands that adhere to those same principles.

“People want brands to demonstrate responsibility and transparency through concrete actions… (C)ommunicating sustainable attributes has a halo effect, influencing customer perceptions — especially around quality and value — at key decision-making moments. ”
– Think with Google, Top Digital Marketing Trends and Predictions for 2021

In fact, out of seven digital marketing trends Google forecasts for 2021, five are related to business ethics, sustainability and social justice: Marketing Equality/Diversity, Data Ethics, Data Privacy, Sustainability Branding and Marketing Automation Transparency.

Indeed, this shift has prompted research firm McKinsey & Company to label this “The CEO Moment of Our Times.” The global epidemic has created an environment in which CEOs must not only harness the changes happening to their companies…but also must create and show positive and transparent change in how their companies interact with employees, shareholders, and customers.