Unilever has never been shy about its values.
For years, the company has positioned itself as a leader in purpose-driven business—championing sustainability, social impact, andprogressive corporate responsibility across its vast portfolio of brands. From Dove to Ben & Jerry’s to Hellmann’s, Unilever has encouraged its brands to stand for something beyond product attributes.
This strategy won accolades, talent, and consumer goodwill.
But in today’s digital environment, being vocal carries a new cost.
Unilever now faces a paradox confronting many modern CPG companies: the more a brand speaks about values, the higher theburden of proof—and the faster the backlash when perception andreality appear misaligned. CPG Digital marketing sits at the center ofthis tension.
When Purpose Becomes a Perpetual Audit
In the age of digital scrutiny, purpose is not a positioning—it’s a promise under constant review.
Every Unilever statement on sustainability, labor, or social justice is evaluated not just by journalists, but by creators, activists, employees, and AI systems that aggregate criticism at scale.
This means Unilever is no longer compared primarily to competitors, but to its own past statements.
Digital PR’s role is not to amplify purpose messaging, but to manage expectation gaps—the distance between aspiration and execution.
When those gaps are not acknowledged, critics fill them with accusations of hypocrisy or “purpose-washing.” When they are acknowledged honestly, they can become sources of credibility rather than vulnerability.
This is an uncomfortable but necessary evolution.
The Ben & Jerry’s Effect
No Unilever brand illustrates the power—and risk—of digital PR better than Ben & Jerry’s.
The brand’s outspoken activism has earned passionate supporters andequally passionate critics. Every public stance sparks debate that extends far beyond ice cream.
From a digital PR perspective, Ben & Jerry’s is not just a brand—it is a media event.
The lesson here is not that Unilever should silence its brands. It’s that activism requires infrastructure. Clear governance, internal alignment, and crisis readiness are not optional when brands choose to enter political or social discourse.
Digital PR must ensure that:
- Brand values are clearly defined and consistently applied
- Leadership understands the downstream reputational impact
- Response strategies account for polarized reactions
Purpose without preparedness is not bravery—it’s risk exposure.
Credibility in the Creator Economy
Unilever has embraced creators, but digital PR demands a more nuanced approach than influencer marketing alone.
Creators are increasingly skeptical of corporate purpose claims. They interrogate supply chains, pricing decisions, and corporate behavior with an audience that trusts their judgment.
For Unilever, this means credibility cannot be bought—it must be earned through access and honesty.
The most effective creator relationships are not scripted endorsements, but ongoing dialogues where creators are allowed to question, critique, and contextualize.
This requires a PR mindset that values controlled vulnerability over polished messaging.
It also requires patience. Trust accumulates slowly—and disappears quickly.
Search, Memory, and Brand Accountability
Unilever’s challenge is not visibility—it is memory.
Digital platforms never forget. Past controversies, criticisms, andinconsistencies remain searchable indefinitely, resurfacing whenever new statements are made.
AI-powered search exacerbates this by collapsing years of coverage into concise summaries that emphasize tension over nuance.
Digital PR must therefore focus on narrative continuity: ensuring that today’s messaging acknowledges yesterday’s criticism and tomorrow’s goals.
This does not weaken the brand. It strengthens it.
Brands that admit complexity appear more human than those that insist on perfection.
The Internal Reckoning
Unilever’s digital PR challenge is ultimately an internal one.
Purpose-driven branding requires deep coordination across marketing, operations, legal, HR, and communications. When those functions are misaligned, PR becomes the messenger for decisions it did not shape—and the scapegoat for backlash it cannot control.
Digital PR must be empowered to ask difficult questions early:
- Can we defend this decision publicly?
- Does this align with stated values?
- How will this play out across digital communities—not just headlines?
When PR is included at the strategy table, it prevents reputational debt. When it isn’t, it is left to manage the interest.
The Cost—and Value—of Conviction
Unilever’s willingness to engage with social issues is not a mistake. It is a strategic choice with real upside.
But in a hyper-connected world, conviction must be matched with operational proof and communicative humility.
Digital PR is the discipline that translates values into credibility, andcredibility into long-term brand resilience.
For Unilever, the future is not about being louder or quieter—but about being more consistent, more transparent, and more prepared.
Purpose is not a campaign.
It is a conversation.
And digital PR determines whether that conversation builds trust—or erodes it.
