Politically/Socially Minded Consumers
Brands will “take a stand” for many reasons, but one important factor to consider before they take any position is how motivated their customer base is.
Using E-Score® Brand, we looked at some brands who have recently been in the news for taking a stand on current issues, sorted by how Politically Motivated their customer base is.
- Of these brands that took a stand, Nordstrom has one of the biggest differences in Appeal (7 points, tied with Cadillac and Starbucks) with politically-motivated consumers versus those who aren’t. Chick-fil-A, on the other hand, is strongest among consumers who don’t consider political and social issues important, with a 9-point boost in appeal among the latter group.
- One interesting category is restaurant/food service, where Chipotle is more appealing (by 5 points) with non-motivated consumers while Starbucks is 7 points more appealing to consumers who do consider issues important.
- It’s also helpful to know not only how strong your customers leanings are, but also where they fall on the political spectrum. E-Score Brand data shows that CVS, for example, not only has 4-point higher Appeal among consumers who are not politically-motivated, but also has an 8-point boost in Appeal and 5-point boost in Loyalty among Democrats vs Republicans.
Trending Shoe Brands

Using E-Score Brand, we can track the consequences for a brand after they have spoken out on a particular issue. We viewed shoe brands who took positions on the travel ban in 2017. Though it’s difficult to make a direct correlation between their stance and changes in public perception, we can see that these brands didn’t experience a negative impact based on their positions.
- Adidas, Nike, and Puma all benefited from jumps in Appeal post travel ban, while Adidas had the largest leap (+5) in their Influential measure.
- Both Nike and Under Armour saw no decline in their Cool score while Adidas saw a 7 point jump.
- Generally positive results suggest that passionate fans expect action from these brands and don’t take offense at their statements.
Takeaway
Whether it’s tracking a brand after taking a stand on a controversial issue or viewing how its consumers can be affected by taking a stand, E-Score Brand is the perfect tool for brands to track and strategize.
Resources
Feel free to utilize these infographics in your social shares or other uses. To download, simply click the images and right-click, or pull the full sized images.