How Should Brands Lead in the Age of a Socially Aware Generation?

There’s no denying that we live in an increasingly socially conscious media world. The rise of a self-proclaimed ‘woke’ generation clashes with the view that political correctness has ‘gone mad’. One thing’s certain: brands, publishers and content creators are under pressure to ‘get it right’ in their representation of humankind. However, we’ve seen cases where representation of women have been slammed for advocating ‘poor health’ or for setting a bad example to consumers. What’s the right thing to do? What does care for the consumer look like when it comes to media representation and what role should we all be playing, if any? Natalie Campbell of Badass Women’s Hour asks Cosmopolitan editor in chief Farrah Storr, Women's Health editor in chief Claire Sanderson, Mothercare’s Parenting Consultant Liz Day and psychologist Kimberley Wilson the extent of which the power of media affects the consumer? And do we have a responsibility to continue to be brave as editors and content creators, as we represent brands which encapsulate a multitude of life experiences that people may not always agree with, in order to represent different voices?