Brands Like Lyft Are Helping Voters This Election Season

Nov. 8 is just around the corner, and brands are weighing how they will participate. Despite increasing political polarization, civic engagement efforts continue to deliver a net positive benefit for brands. While election messaging can be crowded, companies that lean into their unique identity and read the moment can create real impact. Here are five timely tips to consider. Leverage what makes you unique The best brands stay in their lane and know themselves and their audience, carefully weighing the specific capabilities at their disposal. Have a wide-reaching social audience? How can you tap into that to encourage voter turnout and help fill in the knowledge and preparation gap for potential voters? Have 15,000 storefronts? How can you leverage that deep community access to support grassroots efforts? What unique assets does your brand have that can drive impact and drive home who you are? 3 Things You Might Not Know About Political Advertising (but Should) Think local Using your channels and platforms, how can you amplify the resources of nonpartisan organizations to get out the vote? These campaigns can be hyperlocal yet also ladder up to national impact. Brands can help potential voters navigate barriers, such as sharing information on voter IDs and ever-changing voting procedures. Or they can go big and offer comprehensive voter educational tools that help link clients and colleagues to resources. Lean in on identity Overall, your ideal partners are likely civic engagement organizations. In addition to broad “get out the vote” efforts, it might be worthwhile to explore opportunities with groups doing the work in specific communities. Two examples: Poderistas is a community built “to elevate, celebrate and inspire Latinas to amplify their voices and actions on behalf of themselves and their communities.” Color of Change works to advance equity and justice for the Black community—from voting to opportunities in the tech sector and depictions in film and television. Mind the power of language Focus on words that unify and encourage positive action: I Am a Voter—a nonpartisan organization that aims to create a cultural shift and identity around voting—offers a content guide backed by data that organizations can use to effectively message to potential voters. Drive “impact” instead of “change.” Press “priorities” over “values.” Inspirational and optimistic messaging contributes to a winning combination. Look beyond Nov. 8 Your public actions should not be a one-off activation but consistently reflect over time who you are as a brand. In the context of 2022, this could relate to issues ranging from climate change to racial reckoning: Did your company participate in Black Out Tuesday on social media or make racial equity commitments in 2020? It takes much longer than a few weeks before an election to have lasting impact. Consider building a plan to support civic engagement organizations year-round to increase the potential impact. Case study How do these threads come together in an actual campaign? Lyft offers a powerful example with its 2022 LyftUp Voting Access Program, part of its long-running effort to remove transportation as a barrier to voting. Throughout the primary election, early voting and on Election Day itself, Lyft is partnering with its national network of nonprofit partners, including League of Women Voters, National Federation of the Blind, Warrior Scholar Project, National Council on Aging, NAACP and more to provide access to free or heavily discounted rides to those facing mobility barriers. Lyft works closely with its partner year-round, so they are able to seamlessly support each other around key moments like elections, national crises or other social issues. In the lead up to Election Day, Lyft is also using its platform to remind riders, drivers and team members why and the ways in which to vote in this year’s election. Can Political Advertising Weather a Recession? Like every election, the Nov. 8 midterms are important. As communicators and leaders in the communities where we do business, brands can have an impact reaching and mobilizing more Americans to participate in our democratic process, raising the importance of all elections and the value your company brings to the lives of your customers.

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Monique Francis

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Monique Francis