WEEK THIRTY ONE

ADDITIONAL RESEARCH

The events of 2020 brought brand purpose to the forefront, with consumers increasingly expecting brands to speak out about important social issues. This can be a tricky thing to pull off and so it should be approached with caution. Pepsi is a prime example of a brand that clumsily jumped on a social issue and fell flat on its face. In 2017, the company faced huge backlash over an ad starring Kendall Jenner that appeared to trivialise the Black Lives Matter movement. But while Pepsi widely missed the mark, it seems staying silent can also be damaging to brands, particularly when it comes to the issue of racial injustice. We at Arabella could look at having a stand on a less trivial issue like recycling and sustainable fashion as this is promoted in our packaging and Pre-Loved collection.