Ativismo das marcas: compromisso social real ou estratégia de posicionamento?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.34630/tth.v6i1.7307Palavras-chave:
ativismo das marcas, brand activism, woke-washing, responsabilidade social, Posicionamento estratégico, AutenticidadeResumo
O envolvimento público das marcas em questões sociais, políticas e ambientais tem-se intensificado nas últimas décadas, num fenómeno designado de ativismo das marcas ou Brand Activism. Este artigo analisa criticamente o que motiva este comportamento, tentando distinguir entre o compromisso social genuíno e a apropriação de causas como estratégia de posicionamento, discutindo também o conceito de Woke Washing. É ainda alvo de argumentação o problema do ativismo, quando não refletido nas práticas internas de uma organização, que acaba por ter uma conotação de estratégia de comunicação enganadora, que mina a confiança dos consumidores. Contudo, quando intrínseco à cultura organizacional, o ativismo pode tornar-se um verdadeiro motor de transformação social e uma vantagem competitiva a longo prazo. A distinção entre autenticidade e oportunismo torna-se, portanto, fundamental para compreender este fenómeno.
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