Brand Guardian

Brand Guardian is Edelman’s risk mitigation offer for brands engaging in high profile, or potentially high-risk marketing activities or purpose-led initiatives.

It’s how we work with clients to prepare for the launch of bold campaigns, re-brands, high-profile sponsorships and purpose-led commitments, ensuring they can withstand external scrutiny. Playing the critical friend and asking the tough questions ahead of launch.

By stress-testing proactive campaigns and strategies and anticipating potential criticism, we help brands meet and exceed the rapidly changing expectations of consumers and other important audiences.

What We Offer

What We offer

Case Study: Brand Guardian for Covid-19 Marketing Campaigns

Edelman’s Trust Barometer Special Report: Brand Trust and the Coronavirus Pandemic found that Covid-19 had significantly changed societal expectations of organizations. The data showed that consumers and other stakeholders expected businesses and leaders to not only see Covid-19 as a ‘crisis to be managed’ but as a reason to step forward and lead society’s response. Our Connected Crisis 2021 Study reinforced this, with more than two-thirds of business executives saying their company was facing internal and external pressure to be more vocal about key societal issues.

This expectation means taking on responsibilities which would usually sit with government. This enhanced expectation resets the relationship between organizations and their stakeholders. While it provides an opportunity, it also poses significant reputational risk for brands speaking out on issues around the pandemic and using marketing campaigns to engage their audiences.

Our Brand Guardian approach has helped our clients protect their brand trust by building risk assessment and risk mitigation into their marketing activities right from the start. Drawing on Edelman’s proprietary research to inform our counsel, we have helped brands identify and meet the needs and expectations of consumers during this challenging time.

We worked with brands to closely consider whether the tone and nature of the activations were sensitive and appropriate, and gave counsel on how any risk can be mitigated.

We produced a range of guiding materials for Covid-19 related brand campaigns such as: risk reports and messaging guidance; criteria that any brand activations must meet; a review of marketing assets – with recommendations where they need to be adapted; best practice dos and don’ts guidelines for the campaigns. Thanks to this careful planning and review process, the brands were confident that their COVID-related campaigns would be well-received and that brand activations enhanced the trust of consumers.