BRAND ACTIVISM CHRONICALS - EPISODE 1

Welcome to Brand Activism Chronicles, the podcast where we dive deep into the stories behind the brands making waves and social change. Our hosts are Rico, Dean and Mace. Each episode we will explore the fascinating intersection of business and activism, uncovering the strategies, challenges and impacts of brands taking a stand on important issues. From environmental sustainability to racial justice, gender equality to LGBTQ plus rights, brands are increasingly recognising their power to drive positive change beyond just selling products. But what drives them to take a stand, how do they navigate the complexities of social issues while staying true to their brand identity and what impact do their actions have on society? Join us as we speak with each other to unpack the latest trends, share inspiring success stories and examine the lessons learned from both triumphs and missteps. Whether you are a marketer, consumer or simply curious about the role of brands in shaping our world, this podcast is for you. This is Brand Activism Chronicles, where every brand has a story and every story has power to change the world. Before we begin, let us introduce ourselves. For your main host this week is Dean, I'm from Ireland, 21 years of age and I study media back at home. My name is Haris, I'm from the Netherlands, I study communications here in the Netherlands and I am 24 years of age. Rico from Japan, I'm studying international economics at my home university and 21 years old. Now, let us start. On to our first topic, what is brand activism? This is where brands take public stances on social-political issues to stand out in the marketplace. The activism could support social, political and environmental issues and is usually more public-facing and motivation-led than corporate social responsibility, also known as CSR. There have been many well-known examples in the world where brands have taken a stand on something that they believe is important, not just to the company but to the stakeholders and consumers of the brand. Companies such as Ben & Jerry's and Nike are widely recognized for their engagement in brand activism. Nike's famous Dream Crazier campaign with tennis superstar Serena Williams to spread awareness on women's sport is just one example of brand activism in today's world. Now, on to our two other hosts, Rico and Mace. Do youse have any examples of brand activism that you know? Yeah, of course. First of all, before I start, I want to say I'm really excited to do this podcast with you. I'm very curious about what kind of brand activism you have in your own countries, so Ireland and Japan. So yeah, it will be fun to hear about that. Yeah, before this podcast, I did some research into brand activism in the Netherlands and I found a few. I found, do you know Tony Chocoloni? No. No? Yes. 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