‘Go woke, go broke’ not true for brands, says global advertising study

Research shows ad campaigns that are more inclusive have a positive impact on profits, sales and brand worth

The cringe factor can be high when an established brand suddenly aligns itself with up-to-date values. It did not appear to work well for Gillette, which suffered a public backlash five years ago to its “toxic masculinity” advert, or for Marks and Spencer when it brought out an LGBT rainbow- coloured sandwich to mark Pride.

But new academic research carried out for the advertising industry suggests that “Go woke, go broke”, the snappy catchphrase devised by rightwing groups as a warning to brands, has got it all wrong.

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