A Wren Says

We are on the other side of a historic election in the United States. There were sweeping flips in which party controls Congress and governor’s seats. I promise you that this will not be a post about politics. Even though it’s about politics. It’s more about what this moment tells us. It means that people want change, and that matters for business.

Of course, the economy and cost of living loomed large for voters. Maybe that tells you about how companies should go about pricing decisions. But I beg you, dig deeper. This speaks to something bigger. Across the country, there were so many firsts. It was largely around the first time a person of some identity has ever held a particular office. What might that tell us trend wise about how people are thinking? And what might that even mean for brands?

Let’s be real. In the wake of the 2024 presidential election, there was a sweeping rollback on diversity efforts at many businesses. It was clear that dropping those measures were necessary based on the political maneuvering and lawsuits that were happening. But this election might shift things. If the American public is by and large voting for a more diverse leadership group than before, it might indicate more support for more corporate diversity efforts. Voters, after all, are also shoppers. How they think will affect how they shop.

Will brands like Target, who suffered sales declines after their DEI rollback, consider the coast clear to restart those programs? Will they start to be more vocal about beliefs and support for charities that support working class families? Will brands try to align themselves more closely to this moment of greater populism?

Of course, we won’t know for at least months if not years what this shift means in terms of legislation, but I don’t foresee marketers waiting that long. Pay attention and notice how their messaging changes. Take note of who tries meet the moment.