"Do you think the companies believe that people buy that. That a company actually cares about XYZ. " Oh, they absolutely do. 100%. Marketing is all about asp

"Do you think the companies believe that people buy that. That a company actually cares about XYZ. " Oh, they absolutely do. 100%. Marketing is all about aspiration, and companies are falling over themselves to be perceived as moral, credible, caring - it makes a huge difference. In a very poignant example, Nike's switched from endorsing athletes for their prowess ... to their politics. The Kaeperinck sponsorship was a massive win for Nike. Lulu Lemon is selling the 'ethics' of Yoga (for $200 yoga pants that make your butt look good!). You noticed that the brand of water Starbucks sold forever was 'Ethos'. That's not an accident. Terms such as 'ethically sourced', 'locally sourced', 'fair trade', 'eco friendly' etc. all over the place. The marketing absolutely works, even if on a cognitive level we have some degree of cynicism, the messaging goes right past our logic to associates a brand directly with an emotion, possibly sympathetic, possibly other thins like the love we have for our children etc.. If you look at celebrity brand marketing these days (i.e. how celebs market themselves), it's at least 1/2 social signalling. It's all about their politics, their charities, their causes, this is driven by smart agents, PR managers etc.. People are smart but crowds are stupid.