How brands can engage Gen Z to combat terrorism

Google made a bid this year at Cannes to get advertisers to help provide a counter narrative to terrorist propaganda online raising huge questions for the industry.

  "Isis is not only imitating social and digital marketing strategies used by brands, the organisation is selling state-branded goods."

YouTube is still receiving beheading videos on a weekly basis from Isis. While these aren’t getting reported in the media, they show that brutality and the pernicious rhetoric of hate online is as robust as ever. A study by US researchers at the Brookings Institution found more than 46,000 active Twitter accounts supporting Islamic State in a two-month period. And as soon as one account is closed down, more appear.
Google made a bid this year at Cannes to get advertisers to help provide a counter narrative to terrorist propaganda online. Google director of policy strategy Victoria Grand said: "Isis having a viral moment on social media and countervailing viewpoints are nowhere near strong enough to oppose them." She and Google’s chief legal officer David Drummond urged advertisers to help to combat Isis’ deft command of social media. "Advertisers are the most gifted storytellers out there. As storytellers, all of us have a responsibility to start countering these voices," said Drummond.
Isis is not only imitating social and digital marketing strategies used by brands, the organisation is selling state-branded goods, from babywear to wedding rings. Google has ramped up surveillance of services like YouTube and Gmail in response to Isis' recent huge online push to raise its profile and convert new members.

Read the full article: How brands can engage Gen Z to combat terrorism