Brands
Report: The Evolving Role of Companies in a Post-Election World
Report summary
In the lead-up to the 2020 election, brands in nearly every industry have had to contend with a nation that has grown more polarized by the day, making it harder than ever to evaluate the role they should play in political and social issues. It’s no surprise that this election —which is seen by many as the most important presidential election in American history —has significant potential to reshape how corporate America and brands interact with politics. Against this backdrop, Morning Consult conducted quantitative research Sept. 11-13, 2020, among 2,200 nationally representative U.S. adults to deep dive on Americans' changing expectations around brands’ engagement with politics, the issues consumers care most about as they relate to corporate social responsibility and political activism, and the role brands should play as the political environment rapidly changes.
Key Takeaways
- More and more, Americans think brands should use their influence to impact political & cultural issues: The share believing companies should use their influence to impact political and/or cultural issues has risen by 14 points since 2019.
- Consumers are increasingly giving brands better marks on corporate social responsibility: Since 2019, significantly greater shares of adults consider U.S. companies to be charitable, responsible, in touch with the American public and accountable.
- Consumers want brands to support the voting process and help ensure safe and fair elections: When it comes to brand actions this election, brands stand to benefit more from focusing on election initiatives such as facilitating safe and fair elections.
Methodology
In the lead-up to the 2020 election, brands in nearly every industry have had to contend with a nation that has grown more polarized by the day, making it harder than ever to evaluate the role they should play in political and social issues. It’s no surprise that this election—which is seen by many as the most important presidential election in American history—has significant potential to reshape how corporate America and brands interact with politics.Against this backdrop, Morning Consult conducted quantitative researchSept. 11-13, 2020, among 2,200 nationally representative U.S. adults to deep dive on Americans' changing expectations around brands’ engagement with politics, the issues consumers care most about as they relate to corporate social responsibility and political activism, and the role brands should play as the political environment rapidly changes.
