A majority of consumers (63 percent), according to a new survey from SAP, say they prefer to purchase holiday gifts from brands that support specific social causes. This echoes earlier surveys that argue consumers increasingly want brands to take public social and political positions.

The emerging consensus among marketers is that in the current climate brands are no longer able to “remain on the sidelines” and are compelled to stake out positions on controversial social issues. The most recent, high-profile example of this was Nike’s Just Do It anniversary campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick, which was controversial but actually helped Nike financially and with key audiences.

Two very different kinds of studies now paint a more nuanced and complex picture of how consumer behavior is affected when brands take sides.