Brand Courage: Nike & CVS Truths

Is it always a good idea for a brand to show courage and walk its talk? I’ve spoken a lot in the past on the need for brand courage, and how that can be a really powerful business strategy to clearly position and differentiate brands. Here are two striking examples of brand courage: Nike & CVS truths.

The first is the more politically-tinged action of Nike in working with Colin Kaepernick, starting in 2018. This was a very powerful, but also a symbolic act, as it was a position taken in advertising. I also talk about the CVS pharmacy chain’s decision in 2014 to stop selling cigarettes, voluntarily giving up a really significant piece of revenue in order to be more in alignment with their brand values.

Both actions carried a great deal of risk, but both caused immediate lifts to the company’s business results. Since then, they’ve each had their ups and downs, but are mostly doing well. Some critics point to these actions as causing volatility. But I maintain that we have no idea what performance these companies would have seen without their strong actions and that it’s ALWAYS brand-building to show brand courage and stand up for what you believe in.