By Maayan Segal
Doing some good can go a long way, especially when a company can sustain its initiative. So, how does a company sustain “good”? The answer is not by cutting a check every so often or doing once-off photo ops, but instead, incorporating good into your business strategy.
You may be thinking about why this is relevant to you. We all have a job to do and most of us spend our time focused on the bottom line. But, the next time you think about your bottom line, don’t discount “goodvertising” as a part of the plan.
Make Sustainable Changes
Times have changed. It is becoming more and more of a necessity for companies to take a stand and support social agendas and less of an option. Purpose-driven campaigns and initiatives are becoming integral, not only for bettering communities but for ensuring company success.
Organizations taking on the challenge of making an authentic and meaningful difference need to understand that it is not about a mission statement or a one-time donation. It is about diving into your company values and showcasing them in a way that is true to your business strategy. Consumers, investors, and employees won’t be fooled by a play at performative activism.
The kinds of things you can ask yourself as a brand are how can we use our resources to drive change, how can we make a sustainable change, and how does it fit into our company’s values?
When companies construct purpose-driven initiatives that don’t stray far from their business model, they are able to sustain the changes they aim to make for longer. Fewer external resources, fewer dimes spent, but a greater and longer lasting impact for the community and world at large.
Share Incentives
In order to make a sustainable and impactful change, it’s best to think of ways that all involved parties can benefit. As intermediaries and exchanges, ad tech plays an integral role in bringing other members of the chain together. Think about your goals. Think about your partners’ goals. How can we make our plan work for them? Beyond aiding a good cause, how can our partners sustain these initiatives?
For us at Primis, we considered these hurdles when creating Sustainable Stream, a green video marketplace. We wanted to help the environment by using our video player to promote eco-friendly content from NGOs. We knew by staying true to our business model, we would generate revenue and be able to sustain the impact we wanted to make.
But what about our content creators? Publisher partners? Advertisers? Our content creators promote their content further with our reach, our publishers give their users relevant and interesting content, and our advertisers receive an engaged user base. Win. Win. Win. Win.
More Than Just the Bottom Line
All companies are being called out to showcase their values to their current employees, future talent, and clients; it’s time for us all to rise to the challenge. Many companies such as GroupM and Scope3 are already making a lasting impact by pushing their ideals to the forefront. Organizations need to reflect on how they can do more, be authentic, and, most importantly, make it last.
