At the core of any successful marketing strategy lies the consumer. And this modern consumer is a digitally savvy researcher, an empowered buyer, and a connected device user. They pay attention to how brands act, especially when it comes to social and political issues. More than that, they often buy from or abandon a brand based on its social stances and actions.

In our upcoming Connections session, “The New CMO Challenge: How to Respond to Consumer Expectations to Take a Stand,” we’ll talk to Carla Dunham, VP of Marketing at Equinox, and Harris Beber, CMO at Vimeo, about their insights on how to stand behind brand values and respond to rising consumer expectations.

Here’s a sneak peek of what you’ll learn in this can’t-miss session facilitated by Forbes columnist, John Koetsier:

How to live out your brand’s core values

Many companies have long struggled to define and live out their core values, especially through their marketing efforts. CMOs have a few big questions to answer like: How do you choose values that your brand stands for? How are these influenced, if at all, by consumers? And how do you reconcile company values with social or political values?

CMOs must determine how to answer these questions, and they also have to figure out the most impactful way to deliver the resulting messages to the audiences who matter most to them.

How companies view risks associated with taking a stand

Companies strive to meet consumer expectations by taking a stance on social or political issues that align with their core values. Taking a stance can spark awareness, drive revenue, or establish a voice, but not without the risk of possibly upsetting a segment of consumers.

Do consumers expect companies to take a stance on issues? How will consumers react to a company’s decision about which stance to take? And how might taking a certain position affect strategic partnerships?

To hear Carla and Harris’ thoughts on these topics, make sure you sign up for this Connections session.