Since the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) released the “Corporate Governance 3.0 Sustainable Development Blueprint” in 2020, medium to large-sized listed companies have been required to further implement Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. With that, CSR became a major focal point for various enterprises when developing their businesses.
CSR, short for Corporate Social Responsibility, refers to the responsibility of businesses to take care of all stakeholders, including employees, shareholders, surrounding communities, and more while pursuing growth. KOL Radar has pointed out that the top three issues valued by Generation Z are all related to CSR. This illustrates that the extent to which a brand implements CSR will impact consumers’ perceptions of the brand. If the CSR initiatives taken by a company can be effectively conveyed to potential customers through influencer marketing, it can significantly enhance the brand’s image and subsequently increase brand loyalty.
How Can Influencer Marketing Assist Brands in Promoting Their CSR Values?
Besides enhancing overall societal well-being through the practice of CSR, brands can also utilize influencer marketing to ensure that customers who prioritize CSR are informed about the contributions made by the brand to society. This helps to elevate consumers’ positive perceptions of the brand.
Influencer x CSR: More Authenticity and Warmth
According to KOL Radar’s “2022 Influencer Marketing Trends Report,” Generation Z consumers perceive following influencers as akin to “hanging out with friends.” Therefore, influencers’ lifestyles and values have a significant influence on the younger demographic. To promote CSR initiatives externally, brands are advised to collaborate with influencers. This collaboration not only facilitates brand promotion but also adds authenticity and warmth when conveying the brand’s CSR values as compared to traditional methods such as press releases or press conferences. Such partnerships have the potential to bridge the gap and establish closer connections with the younger demographic.
Targeting Sustainability Influencers: Speaking Directly to Those Who Truly Care
Brands can collaborate with influencers who specialize in discussing topics such as environmental sustainability and social welfare directly. This targeted approach allows brands to engage precisely with audiences who prioritize CSR issues. Since people often follow influencers whose values and lifestyles align with their own, partnering with influencers who focus on similar topics helps brands reach consumer groups interested in CSR. This strategy can achieve precise targeting, and increased exposure, and potentially influence purchasing decisions to support brands that fulfill their social responsibilities.
During shopping festivals hosted by various e-commerce platforms, concerns often arise regarding excessive consumption and the impact of discarded packaging on the environment. In response to environmental concerns, an e-commerce platform introduced a recyclable packaging initiative during the Double Eleven (November 11) event. They collaborated with a prominent environmental advocate and influencer, 台客劇場, to promote this initiative. This collaboration aimed to alleviate public concerns regarding the shopping festival while motivating consumers to shop with confidence during Double Eleven, knowing that efforts were made to address environmental issues through recyclable packaging solutions.
Harness the Influence of Influencers by Inviting Fans to Join the Endeavor
Another way in which an influencer can significantly contribute to a brand’s CSR activities is by disseminating information about an event and leveraging their influence to invite their audience to participate in it. CSR initiatives by brands typically aim to promote social welfare, and their impact becomes more apparent with increased public participation. If businesses can utilize influencers to encourage the public to delve deeper into social welfare issues they might not typically encounter, it can also enhance the effectiveness of CSR initiatives.
A well-known furniture manufacturer once launched a “Dark Room” experiential exhibition aimed at allowing the public to better imagine the difficulties faced by energy-poor households. This initiative held significant educational value. The brand opted to collaborate with the influential influencer 意義製造 to promote this exhibition via video. Their goal was to attract more people to experience the exhibition and participate in a petition. Co-hosting this type of CSR event together can enhance the image of both the brand and the influencer, making it a mutually beneficial collaboration.
What Are the Key Points to Consider in CSR Collaboration With Influencers?
1. Start Small, Start Local
When designing CSR activities, businesses tend to localize their strategies to target specific markets by identifying the most suitable ways to practice CSR in alignment with the local social environment. Meeting the needs and perceptions of local communities becomes a key objective in these CSR initiatives. Hence, collaborations between brands and micro-influencers for CSR initiatives are a match made in heaven. Micro-influencers demonstrate higher interactivity and better engagement with their followers. Consequently, when promoting CSR, the content shared by influencers can resonate more closely with consumers and aid brands in conveying information effectively.
Source: Iris、鴨鴨 Instagram
2. Consider KOL Candidates Carefully
The selection of influencers significantly impacts the collaborative effectiveness of CSR-related posts or promotions. Sometimes, choosing the wrong influencer can significantly undermine the efforts put into CSR initiatives. CSR focuses on aspects such as sustainable development and social welfare. Opting for an influencer with a questionable social image could lead to inconsistent or negative perceptions among the public.
When selecting an influencer, it’s essential to consider their style in alignment with the brand’s business type. For instance, a food brand might collaborate with a food-oriented influencer to jointly promote both personal and CSR efforts.
3. Establish a Mutually Beneficial Connection With Influencers
When selecting influencers to collaborate with, observing whether they resonate with the brand’s image or values is crucial. Promotions are more authentic, sincere, and impactful when the influencer identifies with the brand’s ethos. Moreover, promoting CSR issues can enhance the images of both the brand and the influencer. Many influencers are willing to accept brand sponsorships to execute innovative projects that also benefit society.
Businesses can actively seek out a CSR strategy that maximizes the interests of the brand, the influencer, and society, thereby achieving a triple-win effect.
Conclusion
While executing CSR initiatives, businesses aim not only to maximize the welfare of stakeholders but also to promote these efforts through influencer marketing to reach a wider audience. This not only amplifies the impact of practicing CSR but also enhances consumers’ favorability towards the brand. This helps brands to achieve multiple positive outcomes at once!
If you would like to know more about influencer marketing, feel free to consult KOL Radar for free at https://www.kolradar.com/en/solution.
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