Woke-Washing: The Promise and Risk of Linking Branding With Politics

Abstract

In an era in which politics is becoming ever more divisive, companies are working to reposition their marketing to address changing attitudes. The pervasive sense of dissatisfaction with the institutions of government is an opportunity for products to position themselves to permit consumers a vote. Woke-washing is the intentional linking of a product with an explicit political message.

Name brands electing to embrace the politicization of their product must contend with their consumers mobilizing boycotts (to be avoided) or buycotts (to be encouraged) when crafting a message. The case study highlights one successful effort on the part of Nike to link its brand to social activism and another attempt by Gillette to highlight toxic masculinity that produced ambiguous results. These approaches raise questions for students on the efficacy of these marketing strategies as either good or bad business, irrespective of what one might think of the content of the Black Lives Matter or Me Too movement content.

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