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Sam Shennan , Managing Director , Incubeta religion throughout history has been governed by its own set of moral values .

What is new , however , are the values people hold . They have continued to evolve alongside society , with concepts such as freedom , equality and self-expression gaining prominence in recent years , and contemporary challenges like climate change and digital privacy leading to a rising importance placed on the values of sustainability and data security .

And the important thing for brands to consider here , particularly when marketing to Gen Z consumers , is that these new values are now having a huge impact on which companies people are buying from . The days of selling products based solely on quality and pricing are gone . Instead , customers are now seeking a deeper relationship with brands , built on shared values , ethics and social responsibility .

This means for brands to continue thriving in the modern world , social values need to become an integral part of their marketing strategies . They must engage with their audience on a more personal level , thread ethics and corporate responsibility through all of their actions and communications and ultimately demonstrate that they aren ’ t just trying to sell something , but are acting with the best interests of their consumers and the planet we all live on in mind . Smaller businesses have the ability to become more agile with their marketing , creating more personalised campaigns that resonate with consumers and react to new behaviours and societal attitudes . SMEs can draw upon recent consumer trends , using them to attract more consumers by outlining tailored brand values in line with what consumers want .

Actions speak louder than words

Just saying you care about something , without actually acting on it , isn ’ t enough . Except for maybe in politics , where we ’ ve all grown accustomed to a certain level of farce . But for SMEs , token gestures and empty promises will do nothing but sully their image and damage the loyalty of their customers .

Taking a proactive role in driving change , on the other hand , makes a huge difference . More and more , consumers are seeking brands that are making a difference , with their actions having a real , measurable impact on the world . Just look at the success of Patagonia , world renowned for its use of recycled fabrics , initiatives like the repair and reuse programme and the company ’ s firm stance on social and environmental issues – not to mention its fast increase in growth and value year-after-year .

The same principle applies when dealing with a mistake . We ’ re all aware that businesses are run by humans ( for now anyway ) and sometimes things go wrong ,

THIS MEANS FOR BRANDS TO CONTINUE THRIVING IN THE MODERN

WORLD , SOCIAL VALUES NEED TO BECOME AN INTEGRAL PART OF THEIR MARKETING STRATEGIES .