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The Newsletter | Edition 056
In our Off-White Papers, we provide practical guidance on how to respond to our rapidly-changing world. This newsletter explores those topics in real-time, with information and action steps on how to make progress now.

IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...THE PROACTIVE APOLOGY
It’s impossible to go a week without hearing about a new public figure, celebrity, or brand that’s been “canceled” or exposed for less-than-favorable actions. The reactive apologies that inevitably come, and even the behavioral or policy changes that may follow, often feel forced and disingenuous. In response, some brands (and their leaders) are getting ahead of potential criticism by becoming their own worst critics, admitting mistakes and oversights made in the past before they can get publicly called out for them. But how can a brand make a proactive apology work in their favor? What necessitates this kind of transparency? And how does a brand strike the balance between honest and actionable?
  1. Guiding your public rhetoric inward, from Osei Kwakye
  2. We’re all human, just don't overdo it, from Joanne Bolens
  3. How to match your harm with healing, from Lindsey Marshall
And this time, our illustrations from Christopher Campisi.

IS IT TOO LATE NOW TO SAY SORRY?

From Osei Kwakye

TL;DR

During 2020’s “Summer of Racial Reckoning” several executives of large companies released proactive statements expressing their fierce commitment to racial equity. While their words were clear and definitive, consumers expressed skepticism about how earnest any of them really were about such a complex and uncomfortable societal problem. The VF Corporation—parent company of brands like Supreme, Timberland, The North Face, and Vans—was among those that spoke up, but when it came out that member of their board of directors had a history of making anti-Black remarks, VF Corporation said or did nothing about it before accepting her resignation shortly thereafter.


WHY IT MATTERS

A lot of corporations have figured out how to say the right things about race and racism when the focal point is at an arm's length. But when forced to face their own internal shortcomings the stakes are much higher. Moments like this are exactly why consumers are increasingly turned off by brands they feel are “trustwashing” or leveraging social movements for their marketing. If brands only feel compelled to speak up or apologize when their hands aren’t dirty, then their words will become hollow.

ONE THING YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW

Interrogate whether your organization’s rhetoric about social issues is aligned with your policies and practices.

TIPS

The statements that brands made in Summer 2020 were really just the first step. It’s critical that they all make the effort to translate those messages into something actionable within their respective organizations. These problems are not easy to talk about, measure, evaluate, or resolve, but if brands feel the need to insert themselves into the conversation, they cannot become tepid and tightlipped when the temperature goes up.

JUST ANOTHER CORPORATE FORMULA

From Joanne Bolens

TL;DR

Could brands be better (or at least suck less) at saying sorry by being a little more… humane? As each savvily crafted and formulaic sorry note from apologetic brands flood our social media feeds, we, people and consumers, have grown desensitized and skeptical of their sincerity.


WHY IT MATTERS

There’s no doubt that brands have embraced the idea of being more ‘humane’ in recent years, either through defining “their purpose,” promoting transparency over perfection, or just talking like us mere mortals. But when it comes to apologizing for their wrongdoings, they’re not quite there yet. Most new corporate apologies are exactly the same: formulaic, reactive, and insincere.

ONE THING YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW

Find inspiration here—an apology which was widely regarded as sincere and effective.

TIPS

Brands and their leaders can learn a lot by simply remembering what we expect when receiving an apology, human-to-human:
  • Make it a conversation, not a performance. In real life, it’s rare to say sorry, drop the mic, and the conversation ends. As a brand, hear back what people you’ve hurt or let down have to say and continue the dialogue if needed.
  • Be realistic, not aspirational. Be real and honest about what you can, and cannot change in the future. Don’t make promises you can't keep and be transparent about the progress that’s ahead of you.
  • Be sincere, not overly sorry. Over-apologizing often has an adverse effect. Take the time to understand how you’ve impacted people in real life, not just "customers" or stock price.

KICKSTART THE HEALING PROCESS

From Lindsey Marshall

TL;DR

Apologies can quickly become performative if not tied to substantial action—and maybe most importantly, accountability. Minnesota-based brand, Minnetonka, showed how even when you’ve been in the wrong for a long time (AKA its entire 75-year history appropriating Native American culture), it’s possible to find an honorable path forward.


WHY IT MATTERS

The healing process starts with earnestly acknowledging a wrong you intend to right. But the legitimacy of your apology is going to be judged on the actions you take both immediately after the ‘wrong’, and in the years that follow. Atoning for brand sins is not just a one-off or single solution, but a long-term commitment to a comprehensive set of actions. This may require resolving a “Walk Talk Delta” of falling short of stated principles (more on this here), or reorienting company values and priorities.


ONE THING YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW

Scrutinize past behavior to identify unresolved damage to people, the planet, and society. And then, make a plan.

TIPS

How can brands consider resolving long-term harm?
  • Don’t wait to be called out for it. Unresolved harm, even if historical, can create present and future hurt, and there’s no guarantee that it will stay in the past anyway in this era of heightened consumer scrutiny.
  • Learning is key to empathy and prevention. Ignorance is no excuse for bad behavior. So figure out how to educate leadership and employees, even if, and especially if, the process is uncomfortable.
  • Developing a plan for moving forward should be inclusive and systemic, not tokenized. For example, Minnetonka hired a reconciliation advisor, but is also working on hiring local, Indigenous artists, including more models of color for marketing campaigns, and developing partnerships for learning programs for Indigenous youth to share their business knowledge, among other efforts.
  • Long-term harm requires long-term positive impact. Don’t think a years or decades-long transgression can be resolved with one charitable donation or act of remorse. Make sure your efforts to remedy the problem match or exceed the toll you’ve taken.

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