Who gives a f*ck? You’re just selling yoga pants!

As a marketer, it’s probably surprising that I don’t find this line in Chris Rock’s Netflix Special, Selective Outrage, offensive. In fact, it’s one of my favorite bits of the whole show. It’s nostalgia and denial in one line. He was talking about how businesses don’t tell you what they sell anymore, instead, they tell you how much charity they do or, in Lululemon’s case of yoga pants, how they don’t support racism, sexism, discrimination or hate. Unfortunately, for Chris though, value-based brand strategies are here to stay.

The truth is, in today’s market, consumers are looking for more than just a product. They want to buy from brands that align with their values and beliefs. That means if you’re just selling yoga pants, you need to think about more than just the quality and style of the pants themselves.

Value-based marketing means creating a brand that stands for something beyond just the products it sells. It means identifying the values that your target audience cares about and integrating those values into your brands’s messaging, marketing and even your business practices.

For example, if your target audience cares about sustainability, you might use eco-friendly materials in your products or donate a portion of your profits to environmental causes. If your audience is passionate about social justice, you might partner with non-profits that support the causes they care about, or take a stand on social issues in your marketing campaigns.

Value based branding in not just a trend, it’s becoming the norm. Today’s consumers are more socially conscious and aware than ever before, and they want to buy from brands that share their values. In fact, studies have shown that consumers are willing to pay more for products that come from brands with a strong social and environmental mission.

So, if you’re just selling yoga pants, it’s time to start thinking about what your brand stands for. What values do you want to embody? What social or environmental causes do you want to support? And how can you communicate those values to your audience in a way that resonates with them?

At the end of the day, it’s not enough to just sell a great product. To build a lasting and successful brand, you need to create a connection with your audience based on shared values and beliefs. So who gives a f*ck? You should- because if you’re not thinking about value-based branding, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity with your audience and build a brand that truly stands out.