FOCUS: BRAND RELEVANCE LOSS | AUDIENCE: STEWARDS OF PLATEAUED BRANDS
BY: SHOBHA PONNAPPA | BRAND BREAKTHROUGH STRATEGIST | 45 YEARS | 125+ CLIENTS
I answer 6 tough questions about why corporate social responsibility messages often feel contrived … and how to make them authentic.
I’ve worked with legacy companies who proudly present their CSR work … building schools, planting trees, funding education. Yet, when we review audience perception, those same efforts feel vague or performative. The disconnect lies not in the action, but in the articulation. Genuine CSR stories don’t just inform … they move. In this post, I address six sharp questions that reveal how CSR can regain relevance and resonance.
One common reason is formulaic phrasing. Brands often mimic language that’s already in circulation … phrases like “giving back to society” or “making a difference” … without anchoring them in their unique context. When audiences see the same words across dozens of brands, emotional fatigue sets in. CSR becomes noise instead of narrative.
Another reason is the absence of story. CSR efforts that simply list outcomes (“500 trees planted”) don’t say why it matters or how it ties into the brand’s own journey. Brands that tell why they chose this cause and how it changed them internally create impact. Authenticity emerges when CSR reveals your inner beliefs, not just outer actions.
Genuine work deserves better storytelling. If your CSR hasn’t sparked connection, it may be hidden behind stiff copy, buried on obscure web pages, or mentioned only once a year. Brands that live their causes weave them into the everyday … not just annual reports.
Also, review the visuals and voice. A drab photograph of volunteers or a stock image of trees won’t stir souls. CSR visibility requires creative framing … real voices, real faces, real tone. Think campaigns, not compliance.
The best CSR strategies are extensions of brand belief. If you sell water filters, your CSR could support clean water access. If you’re a publishing brand, literacy programs make sense. Relevance isn’t forced … it’s discovered in your core offering.
When CSR feels disconnected, it weakens both sides: the cause and the company. Audiences notice when CSR feels bolted on versus built in. Strategic relevance is what turns CSR into a brand multiplier.
Because many fear being called out for virtue signalling. But silence isn’t safety … it’s stagnation. The antidote is transparency. Rather than hiding behind “quiet good deeds,” share the messy, honest path: why you chose the cause, where it’s hard, what you’re learning.
In my experience, internal resistance eases when messaging shifts from PR to purpose. CSR messaging must be framed as a leadership stance … not a press release.
Absolutely … but only if they speak from the inside out. Small brands often imitate big CSR headlines instead of revealing their small but potent truths. A team of 12 volunteering locally can be more resonant than a multinational’s global campaign, if the story is human.
What matters is voice, not volume. When CSR is expressed with intimacy and courage, even small acts gain significance. No one expects you to save the world … just to care in a way that feels unmistakably yours.
Ask for reaction, not reach. It’s not about how many saw it … it’s about who felt it. Did team members share it proudly? Did a partner comment that it moved them? Did you feel proud rereading it months later?
Also track internal resonance. Great CSR storytelling fuels team pride, investor belief, and cultural momentum. When the inside celebrates it as much as the outside, your CSR narrative is working.
If your CSR story is technically true but tonally dull, you’re not alone. Many brands tick the right boxes but fail to make audiences feel. The remedy isn’t more activity … it’s deeper alignment and braver storytelling. When done well, CSR stops being a sidebar and becomes a beacon.
If you’re an investor seeking momentum for your portfolio brands, this FAQ Insight Post I wrote could interest you: “FAQs: When Too Many Brand Tests Burn Both Belief and Budget.“
And if you’re a solo expert looking to sharpen traction, this FAQ Insight Post I worked on may resonate: “FAQs: When Reliable Referral Chains Quietly Begin to Disappear.“
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