As the new post-pandemic normal settles in and people adapt to a context of uncertainty, constant adversities, and pessimism, we are moving away from a moment in which consumers expected brands to rise up to society's challenges and into one when they’re demanding genuine allyship from businesses.

With increasing societal challenges, people are demanding decisive social action from brands now, more than ever – but this could come at a cost. Canvas8 spoke to Dr. Sourjo Mukherjee, a marketing professor at Audencia Business School, to find out how brands can court controversy without contention.

A new campaign by the Mayor of London calls specifically on male bystanders to tackle misogynistic behaviour and violent incidents. With sexual harassment against women an ongoing problem, shifting the narrative from victim-blaming to active solutions can help challenge sexist biases in society.

A campaign from Police Scotland tackles the everyday misogyny men perpetuate and its contribution to the epidemic of sexual violence towards women in the UK. The ad comes at a time when trust in the police is being eroded, amid an absence of perpetrator-centric narratives.

The ability to walk the streets without fear should be a fundamental right, yet the majority of women feel unsafe in public spaces after dark. WalkSafe allows users to take control of their personal safety by mapping safe routes home while keeping loved ones connected via automatic alerts.