Actions speak louder than words:  Old Navy ‘Tees’ up the year ahead

Old Navy shows how to brand authentically and put their words into year-round action.

Attention retailers and other brands, here’s a few lessons in authentic branding from Old Navy!

Under their program ‘Project WE’, Old Navy launched their year-round line of designed graphic tees to honor marginalized groups of people and important cultural moments. For Black History Month 2022, they presented three Black artists (Temi Coker, Lo Harris and Destiny Darcel) with the freedom of designing graphic tees using their own styles. They have also committed and donated to the 15% equity pledge. Read More here.

They are walking their talk. During the last 14 months, too many brands have been called out for their performative public statements on having Inclusive workplaces, Black Lives Matter and the like. Even this month, Bath and Body Works was caught repackaging their regular products in attempts to take advantage of Black History Month product shoppers (instead of supporting black owned and designed products like Old Navy demonstrated in their diverse supplier program Project WE). For those brands caught or at risk of being performative for their lack of action, take notes on what Old Navy has created and demonstrated as brand authenticity. Old Navy transitioned from their successful Black History Month celebration into promoting their Women’s History Month campaign for March and once again it’s done with authenticity (Women’s History Month is celebrated in different months around the world). 

With the great resignation in full swing, prospective employees are focused on working for a company who delivers on their promises. Current and potential customers are also watching your brand authenticity. Do away with the empty promises and performative acts and start here: 

·       Review your public statements and decide where you want to be as an organization

·       Include employee feedback and engagement for support and buy-in

·       Create a year-round strategy with action plans to deliver on your promises

·       Update all of your public statements to reflect changes

·       Take action and monitor your efforts

I look forward to seeing more companies show their brand authenticity results.  Take a bow Old Navy!

Zoe Mitchell is the founder of Sharp Processes, a leadership consultancy focused on improving employee engagement using Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Process Improvement with her 20 years of corporate senior leadership positions. She is also the author of Inclusive Leadership Now (also available on Amazon).

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