Social Impact Marketing: How to Support Ukranians During the Russian Invasion

As the crisis in Ukraine deepens, many companies might be wondering how they can best use their digital marketing tactics for social good. Ethics in digital marketing are crucial to both establish trust with your audience and get your message across.

Authenticity in Social Impact Marketing

Being authentic in your digital marketing tactics is key for making an impact. According to one poll, the most important brand attribute for consumers is trustworthiness, with authenticity being another top priority. By being authentic in your messaging, you show your readers that you are a trusted source of information.

So what does being authentic in social impact marketing look like? It could include sharing information on where your audience members could donate money or goods to their cause. Or it could be as simple as issuing a statement in support of the people of Ukraine. Integrating authenticity in your digital marketing tactics isn’t about large gestures, it’s about changing how we view digital marketing campaigns.

Socially Responsible Marketing Starts with Good Sources

Part of running socially responsible marketing campaigns is ensuring your data comes from trusted sources. This includes checking webpages to make sure they’re reputable, fact-checking news articles, and other things. There is a lot of misinformation surrounding the Ukraine crisis, so ensuring that your messaging remains true to the facts and that your data is well-sourced is crucial. Additionally, this includes using clear, easy-to-understand wording, as well as careful language. For example, millions of Russians do not support this war, so it would be proper to focus on the Russian government as the problem.

Socially Responsible Marketing Ends with Trends

Digital marketing for social good is not something that should follow trends. While it is important to release your own statement or support of Ukranians (alongside other businesses), this is not a trend: it is a wave of support. Your digital marketing tactics should focus on supporting Ukraine and relating to your audience, not to show that you follow trends.

On a similar note, it is important to not turn your support for Ukraine into a PR stunt. Bad ethics in digital marketing lead to brands that bash Russian products or spread misinformation about refugee movement. When marketing for social good, it is important to take a step back and realize that your campaign is about supporting the lives of millions of people, not about supporting your business aims.

Ethics in Digital Marketing: How to Support Ukraine

Now is the time to put your new knowledge of social impact marketing to use: share donation pages, draft a statement in support of Ukraine, or buy hotel rooms for refugees. The more you connect with your audience in an authentic manner, the more help that we can all give to Ukrainian people.

Need help planning out a socially responsible marketing campaign? Book your complementary call with us to get started!