Human Centric Group Unpacks When 'Woke Marketing' Works — and When It Fails
Woke culture can be a trap — but only if brands forget who they’re talking to.
Francesco Denittis, Manager at Human Centric Group and CRM / quantitative models expert, sharing insights on how to navigate woke culture through data-driven audience understanding
Nike’s ‘Winning Isn’t for Everyone’ campaign triggered strong emotions — but only resonated with its core audience of competitive sports fans.
Every June, brands repaint their logos with rainbow colors — but aligning with Pride requires more than just a logo swap.
Francesco De Nittis explores how woke messaging can drive record sales or brand backlash — depending on how well brands know their audience.
Woke culture isn’t the trap. Not knowing your audience is. Messaging without alignment is marketing roulette.”
LONDON, GREATER LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, June 24, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- In an era where brands are increasingly vocal on social issues, a new article by Francesco De Nittis, Manager at London-based Human Centric Group, sheds light on a timely and polarizing question: Is woke culture a trap for marketers?— Francesco De Nittis
In his latest piece, titled “Woke culture is a trap, at least sometimes”, De Nittis examines why some brands thrive when embracing progressive themes, while others suffer from massive backlash and financial loss. The full article is now available on Human Centric Group’s website.
“This isn’t a ‘go woke, go broke’ rant,” De Nittis clarifies. “It’s a data-driven look at how brands succeed or fail based on one simple thing: understanding who they’re speaking to.”
The article analyzes both cautionary tales and case studies of success:
Amazon’s Rings of Power and Disney’s Snow White (2025) serve as examples of how misaligned values and dismissive handling of fan criticism can alienate core audiences, despite large budgets and global rollouts.
Target’s Pride Month controversy (2023) illustrates what happens when a brand tries to straddle opposing cultural factions without a clear strategy — resulting in lost sales and eroded trust on both sides.
Nike’s “Dream Crazy” and “Winning Isn’t for Everyone” campaigns prove that woke messaging can succeed brilliantly — or divide sharply — depending on how intentionally it’s aligned with the brand’s loyal base.
The Barbie movie (2023) is cited as an example of progressive storytelling done right: smart, ironic, and deeply resonant with its intended audience.
De Nittis argues that the core issue isn’t whether a campaign is progressive or traditional. It’s whether it’s relevant to the audience that matters most to the brand.
“Woke culture is not the trap,” he writes. “Not knowing your audience and their values is the real trap.”
The Data Behind the Debate
The article references a May 2025 Ipsos survey showing that 57% of Americans now prefer brands to stay neutral on political and social issues — a 5-point increase since 2023. But neutrality isn’t always the winning move. When a brand knows exactly who it’s speaking to — and why — bold campaigns can drive deep loyalty and lasting business growth.
This shift is at the heart of Human Centric Group’s branding philosophy. As De Nittis explains, “We help brands see people not just as consumers, but as complex individuals with beliefs, routines, contradictions, and needs. Messaging that sticks is never one-size-fits-all.”
About Human Centric Group
Human Centric Group is a boutique branding agency based in London. Known for its human-first approach, the agency helps brands like Danone, Carlsberg, and Tecnam Aircraft connect with their audiences through insight-driven strategy and culturally relevant storytelling.
About the Author
Francesco De Nittis is a manager at Human Centric Group. He is an expert market researcher and branding consultant. With a track record of working with leading brands like Carlsberg, Remarkable, and Tecnam Aircraft, he helps companies unlock data-driven insights for strategic growth.
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WINNING ISN’T FOR EVERYONE | AM I A BAD PERSON? | NIKE
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