Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has stirred hearts across the globe, and we have seen both world-leading brands and small businesses respond to the crisis. Many have donated and tried to leverage their international partnerships in the name of support, others have offered their resources to support the war-torn nation, but above all, they expressed their solidarity.

Even if you don’t have the opportunity to engage more in humanitarian action, now it is essential to utilize your marketing assets and express your support as soon as possible.

Here’s why:

If you’re a brand, you have power. You can have a positive influence on the world.

Whether your business operations are affected by this war directly or not, you bear a great deal of responsibility for responding to events of aggression.

In other words, people trust your brand for a reason. They resonate with your values and the message you convey every time they encounter you. Also, they are paying attention to what you’re saying. Especially when history is happening. They count on you. So, it’s time to create content that serves as a strong, authentic statement and share it with your audience.

The message

You may not be able to help physically, but it is paramount to virtually hold the hands of those who desperately need hope.

The essence of your message should be this:

Our hearts are truly with you.

*You: refugees and everybody from the affected area.

We are here if you need us.

*You: all customers, especially those who are feeling crushed by the situation.

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Furthermore, if you donate, be careful with letting the world know because there can be a fine line between bragging and inspiring.

Never, under any circumstance, give your customers the chance to think that you’ve given any sort of financial support to the helpless just for getting ahead of your competitors in the customer trust battle.

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So how should you communicate your message?

Infuse both your text and visual content with empathy. Place particular emphasis on morality and make sure your captions reflect that your intentions are selfless. Otherwise, you can lose your customers’ loyalty forever.

Visual Metaphor

Visual metaphors are universal. No matter where you come from, visual images allow every individual in the world to understand analogies without speaking the common tongue. And their strength is measured by the emotions they evoke in each of us. This is the reason visual metaphors are so powerful in grabbing the attention of the masses in the current crisis.

So how do you use a visual metaphor?

Once you have your message developed, visualize it. Create visual content that both complements and elevates your message. Decide on what you want people to associate with your image or video and ask your content creators to conceptualize it.

Art is a wonderful tool for making people think deeply about the importance of acting together, so feel free to use abstract solutions. But don’t forget that they will be able to decode your message only if you build your concept on simple thoughts.

Also, consider color symbolism. Let colors intensify the significance of your content and make it truly unique. The more unique it is, the more people you can reach with your message. You can use your brand colors, the symbolic colors of peace or freedom, the colors of the Ukrainian flag, or the combination of these.

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Brands that stand with Ukraine

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Let’s take a look at some brands that have expressed their solidarity on LinkedIn in an amazing way.

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Semrush

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Grammarly

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monday.com

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Salesforce

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Vesta

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Synamedia

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And finally, Sublight

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Not sure how to express your solidarity? We’ll be happy to give you advice. Type in your message here and we’ll be back to you as soon as possible. 

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