Brand Silence is a Liability. Here's the Data-Backed Playbook for Speaking Up.

As agency leaders, we see it every day: marketers and brand leaders are in a bind. After a wave of public support for social justice, a vocal backlash has many brands retreating into silence.

But here’s the problem: your customers haven't retreated.

The 2025 Edelman Brand Trust report is clear: 64% of people buy, choose, or flat-out avoid brands based on their social beliefs. Caught between public pressure and consumer demand, many companies are paralyzed. But silence isn't a strategy; it's a liability. That same Edelman report found 1 in 2 respondents assume the worst when a brand stays quiet.

Your brand must find a way to talk about the social issues that resonate with your customers, and you have to do it authentically. But how?

At Cooper Marketing & Media and Court Leve Productions, we guide our clients through this challenge constantly. That's why we're focused on what drives consumer trust. A recent study from the NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business finally gives us a data-backed playbook. They partnered with seven iconic U.S. brands to learn how to engage, not alienate, consumers and to find out which social messages actually work across different groups.

The Findings: The Right Social Message Drives Real Appeal

The results were striking. Not only did social sustainability messages perform well, they were the single best-performing message for three of the seven brands tested.

For every brand, adding the right social message to a core product claim (like "tastes great" or "works fast") dramatically increased appeal. On average, appeal jumped from 42% (for the core attribute alone) to 62% (with one social claim) and all the way to 70% (with two more).

And this wasn't just one demographic. These messages boosted appeal across the board—regardless of education, political party, income, or age.

But the research highlights two non-negotiable rules for success:

1. Anchor to Your Purpose: The strongest messages must align with your brand’s core purpose.

2. Win on Your Core Product First: The customer has to trust you'll deliver on your functional promise (e.g., the food tastes good, the bank is secure) before they'll even consider your social message.

This Data is Solid

This wasn't a small survey. They polled 2,100 respondents across seven diverse industries—food, tech, finance, and more. They tested over 30 unique messages per brand, pitting social claims directly against core category claims. By using large, iconic brands, the study shows how these messages can move the needle even for the most established reputations.

The "ABCs" of Effective Messaging: What to Say

So, which messages worked best? The study identified five themes that drove the most universal appeal.

• Access: Promoting equal access to products, services, or opportunities. Wording like "providing economic opportunities" or "reducing the technology gap" resonates powerfully.

• Basic Needs: This is fundamental. Messages about "fighting food insecurity" or "providing access to healthcare" are universally appealing.

• Crisis Response: Consumers value brands that use their resources for disaster relief and community uplift.

• Disability & Veteran Community: Of all identity-based traits, programs supporting people with disabilities or veterans and their families resonated most effectively across the general population.

• Economic Status: Communicating support for issues related to socioeconomic status—using terms like "underserved," "underrepresented," and "traditionally excluded"—drives brand appeal.

From Insight to Action: Your Go-Forward Strategy

This research provides a clear roadmap. Consumers expect brands to take meaningful action. Here's how to apply these insights:

1. Anchor Your Message. Your social messages must ladder up to your brand’s core mission. Focus on issues relevant to your business. Specific, measurable actions always beat vague intentions.

2. Prioritize Access. Messages that address disparities in access to products, services, or opportunities are a clear winner.

3. Frame Inclusivity as Access. To broaden your appeal, use language about serving those who have been "underserved" or "excluded."

4. Speak to Your Audience. While some messages are universal, targeted messaging is highly effective when it reflects your authentic voice and you have a real track record in that community.

Now, Let's Build Your Authentic Message

Knowing what to say is just the first step. The real opportunity—and the real challenge—is knowing how to say it in a way that is authentic, credible, and human.

How do you turn this data into a genuine story that connects, without just "checking a box"?

This is where our fresh perspective makes the difference. At Cooper Marketing & Media, we build the strategic framework. We dig deep to help you identify the right message, one that’s anchored in your core purpose, just as this study recommends.

Then, with Court Leve Productions, we bring that strategy to life. We are storytellers who craft compelling, high-impact video and content that shows your commitment, rather than just talking about it.

Our combined experience working with top-tier brands, ambitious 501(c)(3)s, and even entire cities gives us a unique understanding of how to navigate this new landscape. We know how to speak to diverse audiences and create work that builds trust and drives results.

If you're ready to align your brand's purpose with a powerful message, let's talk.

Court:
E: contact@courtleve.com | | C: (530) 448-1029

Coop:
E: Coop@Coopermarketing.org | C: (530) 307-9264