The Secret to Building a Heroic Brand: Using Marketing for Positive Change

In the summer of 2018, a rather curious story made waves on social media: Domino’s Pizza was filling potholes across America, leaving a branded sticker on the freshly laid asphalt. This initiative, dubbed “Paving for Pizza,” was more than a humorous gimmick; it was a masterstroke in brand strategy. The campaign earned over 1 billion media impressions in its first eight months, demonstrating an underutilised yet powerful approach to branding—one that marries the act of doing good with business success.

This approach breaks away from the traditional marketing mindset that often revolves around sensational tactics to grab consumer attention. As data from Edelman reveals, 63% of consumers trust brands to do what is right, but 46% say brands aren't doing enough to address issues like climate change. On the other hand, a whopping 59% of consumers are willing to pay more if a brand contributes positively to the world. This presents a challenge: How do brands draw attention without coming across as self-serving?

The Anatomy of a Hero Brand: 3 Key Traits

Research from Harvard Business Review shows that successful “hero” brands often share a hero’s arc, embodying three key traits:

Hero Brands Serve as Guardians: Just as fictional heroes protect the vulnerable, hero brands defend those who face real disadvantages. Consider Carrefour’s “Black Supermarket” campaign, which boldly challenged an ancient European law that limited French farmers from growing 97% of fruit and vegetable varieties. The campaign drew 377 million media impressions and propelled Carrefour to become the most preferred supermarket in Europe. Carrefour demonstrated that brands can champion change by addressing recognised injustices and garnering public support.

Hero Brands are Selfless: Like comic book heroes who prioritise others’ needs, hero brands act selflessly without overt self-interest. The cautionary tale of Sellitonline, an Australian website that offered to donate to wildfire victims only if they got Facebook likes, illustrates the risk of being perceived as self-serving. In contrast, Domino’s campaign to fill potholes successfully resonated with consumers by showcasing a genuine commitment to improving daily life.

Hero Brands are Mentors and Role Models: Brands can also assume the mentor role by educating or addressing social issues, similar to how Yoda guides Luke in Star Wars. Lingerie brand K-Lynn took this to heart, redesigning its catalog to educate women on breast cancer self-exams, increasing sales by 23% and boosting local mammogram appointments by 43%. Corona beer’s “plastic fishing” tournaments, which removed over 200 tons of ocean plastic, demonstrate how brands can mentor and mobilize communities toward positive change.

Building a Hero Campaign: Four Critical Elements

Creating a hero campaign requires more than good intentions; it needs a strategic framework that resonates with the audience:

• Severity: Identify a problem severe enough for people to care about. The dishwasher brand Finish effectively highlighted America’s looming water shortage, resulting in 479 million organic media impressions and a 33% increase in sales. In contrast, Pepsi’s poorly conceived campaign involving the Black Lives Matter movement shows what happens when a brand misreads the room.
• Effort: Brands must demonstrate genuine dedication to their causes. Bud Light's partnership with a transgender influencer backfired when it failed to stand up against transphobic bullying, highlighting that lip service isn’t enough for hero status. Consistency is also crucial; actions should not contradict stated intentions.
• Affinity: Create campaigns that are highly relevant to the target audience. When Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg livestreamed a virtual reality tour of hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico, it backfired, coming off as insensitive. Successful campaigns, like Grupo Estratégico’s offshore dispensary to protest Honduras' ban on the morning-after pill, show how to foster deep affinity by championing justice.
• Reach: Ensure your campaign reaches a broad audience. Aligning with trending events or issues can amplify reach. Guaraná’s gender equality campaign during the Tokyo Olympics reached over 180 million media impressions, leveraging a global event to draw attention to local injustices.

The Rise of Hero Branding: A Call to Action

The distinction between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and branding is increasingly blurred. As the Harvard Business Review points out, brands possess unique power—often more substantial than many activist groups or even governments—to tackle social and environmental issues. But with great power comes great responsibility. Brands must act not out of self-interest but from a genuine desire to contribute positively to society.

In a world where consumers are increasingly skeptical, becoming a hero brand offers a way to stand out, build trust, and foster loyalty. Brands, like individuals, have personalities and seek recognition. But unlike a self-centered neighbor, a brand that acts with humility, courage, and genuine intent can become a cherished member of the community it serves.