Texas Abortion Ban Is a Call to Action for Brands and Agencies

Following the passage of Texas SB 8, which prohibits abortion about six weeks into pregnancy and incentivizes citizens to report pregnancy terminations with a finder’s fee, online abortion clinic Hey Jane approached Dame CEO Alexandra Fine to produce a full-page ad in The New York Times defending reproductive rights. Dame, which crafted an ad supporting the same cause in 2019 when the Trump administration supported anti-abortion legislation, built a coalition of healthcare brands to develop a message of solidarity for the lawyers, physicians and activists who are fighting against the Texas legislation. “You start a brand because you want to make a difference in the world,” Fine told Adweek. "We are letting the world know what these organizations care about.” The ad appeared in the Sept. 12 edition of The New York Times Readers of the Sunday Times were then invited to visit accessisfreedom.com, where they could donate to organizations like the Texas Equal Access Fund or share initiatives in support of abortion access on social media. Consumers are demanding action from brands and agencies, but they know the difference between genuine progress and self-serving publicity stunts. “Brands, do what you say you’re going to do,” said Leah Hacker, CEO of research and strategy firm Rebel & Co, who pointed to AT&T’s simultaneous diversity and inclusion language and donations to politicians who support TX SB 8. “The world knows the difference between a real line in the sand and a marketing campaign." Adweek spoke with marketers about their role in initiating change. Industry leaders emphasized several priorities, including supporting their own employees and audiences, while also advising clients on if and how they should weigh in. Adweek reached out to a number of agencies with a presence in Texas to understand if and how they were responding to TX SB 8. The Marketing Arm, PMG, R/GA and The Richards Group declined to comment for our story. Prioritize your employees On Sept. 10, SalesForce CEO Marc Benioff announced on Twitter that if Texas-based employees want to exit the state, the company will financially support their relocation. Cindy Gallop, CEO and founder of IfWeRanTheWorld and MakeLoveNotPorn, has a straightforward demand for every holding company and agency: support your female employees’ right to choose and get every colleague on the same page. “Abortion is a man’s issue as much as it is a woman’s issue,” said Gallop. “They need to make it crystal clear that when it comes to any issue in reproductive health that any female employee is in need of, they are there for them.” According to Gallop, male employees often forget to do something that seems like a simple first step in navigating these policies: ask female colleagues what they need and want from the company, and listen. Jacqueline Thompson, senior vice president of accounts at Austin-based agency Bakery, stressed that corporations must change the narrative around abortion rights to fully support their employees.“It’s great that more organizations give their employees paid maternal and paternal leave and important benefits like IVF coverage for same-sex couples, but they need to consider abortion in family planning as well,” she said. Talk to your clients Despite their persuasive marketing language and calls for a more equitable workforce, AT&T, CVS Health and UnitedHealth Group are among the top donors to the legislation's sponsors. “Every holding company and agency should be having a convo with any client in their portfolio that is in any way contributing to this legislation and explain why they need to withdraw their support,” said Gallop. https://twitter.com/UnitedHealthGrp/status/1430882722571071490?s=20 Steven Amato, founder and CEO of agency Contend, said agency leaders should start a conversation with their clients on this, and any other hot button issue. “Agencies should have a very active role,” he said. “They should function as trusted advisors, and sure their clients’ brand narratives and overall purposes are connecting with their audiences in relevant and meaningful ways.” Support your audience According to Hacker, brands and agencies are often silent during political moments because they aren’t sure what to say, which reflects both a lack of holistic prioritization and understanding of their consumer base. “These topics couldn’t be more relevant to what we do,” added Bakery's Thompson. “We just have to be careful to approach with empathy and action, not politics, empty statements and underhanded dealings.” Take deliberate action After a call to boycott Austin-based South by Southwest began circulating earlier this month, some marketing professionals wondered if boycotting an event in one of the state’s few progressive pockets was the best course of action. According to Hacker, instead of calling to cancel the festival, marketers must think about how they can “reframe the narrative” by demanding conversation and support for activism among industry creatives.“We should be solutioning at this point,” she said. “SXSW brings together some of the most creative and imaginative people. This is an opportunity to really move the needle on a topic that impacts all of our communities and all of our personal liberties.” Over 180 Top Executives Call Abortion Ban ‘Bad for Business’ in Full-Page New York Times Ad