Top 10 Times Companies Got Woke
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for political boycotts of companies perceived as supporting progressive causes.
#10: Coca-Cola
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Coke is closely related to the American South. The Coca-Cola Company was incorporated in Georgia back in 1892, where it’s remained ever since. But Georgia lawmakers came under fire in 2021 with a controversial election law. Purportedly to suppress voter fraud, the Election Integrity Act included various restrictions, like requiring identification for absentee ballots and limiting the use of ballot drop boxes. Critics argued that these restrictions were anti-democratic and discriminatory in nature, making it harder for minorities to vote. Numerous companies spoke out against the law, including Coca-Cola, with CEO James Quincey calling it “a step backwards.” According to a poll by Rasmussen Reports however, 52% of Republicans said they were less likely to buy Coke products in response, and 37% of Americans overall.
#9: Nike
The word “woke” originated in African-American English to describe awareness of racial injustice, although it’s expanded to include other social inequalities. One of the earliest attempts to break a brand over “wokeness” came in 2018, with Nike’s ad campaign featuring NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Protesting racial injustice and police brutality, Kaepernick had been kneeling during the national anthem in games. Nike’s decision prompted outrage in some circles and calls for a boycott. Donald Trump weighed in, calling Nike’s campaign a “terrible message”. However, sales actually increased after the campaign was launched, as did the company’s stock price.
#8: Marvel
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The MCU has enjoyed extraordinary success, but it’s no longer printing money like it did. In recent years, Marvel has suffered diminishing box office returns, with fans and critics alike criticizing the storylines and special effects. There’s also been a vocal backlash against stories with female leads. In November 2023, “The Marvels” experienced the MCU’s worst opening weekend ever, and has grossed just north of $200 million. Various factors have been blamed: superhero fatigue, unfamiliar characters, lack of promotion due to the Hollywood actor’s strike, Disney+ users waiting for it to hit streaming, and of course, accusations of wokeness. Audience reviews have been kinder, sitting at 83% on RottenTomatoes; and critic reviews, while mixed, were higher than for the MCU’s first film of 2023, “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania”.
#7: Pepsi
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When it comes to PR disasters, it’s hard to beat Pepsi’s infamous Live for Now commercial. Released in 2017, it shows Kendall Jenner walking through a protest and giving a can of Pepsi to a cop. The crowd cheers wildly as the officer drinks the Pepsi, because…Pepsi is awesome, or something? It felt inauthentic and tone deaf, with most criticism coming from the political left, who accused PepsiCo of trying to cash in on the Black Lives Matter movement. Viewers also took umbrage with the ad’s thesis that drinking Pepsi cures all our social ills. It was a huge mess, and Pepsi pulled the ad after just one day.
#6: Starbucks
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Starbucks has attracted much controversy in recent years. This includes accusations of discrimination, a ban on Pride Month decorations at some stores, and the whole union busting debacle of 2022. In fact, 2022 was a rough year in general, as the company was also forced to close sixteen locations in major cities due to safety concerns. One factor was their “open bathroom” policy, allowing the non-paying public to access their restaurant’s restrooms, which reportedly resulted in an increase in drug use. Kevin D. Williamson of the New York Post, called this a “grand social-justice gesture” and “sentimental urban progressivism.” Starbucks remains the world’s biggest coffeehouse chain.
#5: Gillette
The “go woke, go broke” cry really took off with Gillette in 2019. The company launched an ad campaign called “The Best Men Can Be,” which tackled toxic masculinity following the #MeToo movement. The initial video was called “We Believe,” and it received a scathing online response. Men and conservatives in particular condemned its “woke” messaging, and it became one of YouTube’s most disliked videos. It also resulted in numerous memes, including the “So There I Was” copypasta and “Bro! Not Cool” edits. Gillette’s parent company, Procter & Gamble reported an $8 billion write down on all Gillette revenue six months after. While campaign critics cite the messaging, P&G blame the downturn on competing products, currency fluctuations and a limited use of razors by consumers.
#4: Victoria’s Secret
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Founded in 1977, Victoria’s Secret became the leading name in lingerie, a distinction aided by their famous annual Fashion Show. But since 2016, the company has struggled in the face of competition, a consumer preference for athleisure, and damaging reports of sexual harassment and discrimination. Perhaps most damaging of all were ties between then-CEO Les Wexner and Jeffrey Epstein. The company ended their Fashion Show in 2019, and did away with their iconic Angels in 2021, in favor of the more diverse and inclusive VS Collective. However, the brand’s revenue hasn’t recovered. Some conservatives blame this on the rebrand, while others cite that changes were made too late and felt inauthentic. The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show returned in 2023, and the company remains North America’s biggest underwear brand.
#3: Target
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To celebrate LGBTQIA+ Pride Month in 2023, Target released a collection of themed merchandise, including a tuck-friendly swimsuit sold in the women’s section. A rumor online claimed that the swimsuit was being sold to minors. This was false, but nonetheless helped spark a boycott from angry anti-LGBTQIA+ groups over the Pride month merchandise in general. Target reported threats to employees and hoax bomb threats. The company’s stock price tumbled 15%, as well as a drop in sales. The pride displays were either removed entirely or relocated to the back of the stores.
#2: Disney
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The Walt Disney Company is one of - if not the - most powerful and successful media conglomerates on the planet. But while they’re responsible for many of our favorite childhood movies, and have bought the rights to most of the rest, some of their recent returns have been less than stellar. There are some quantifiable reasons for this, like the loss of Disney+ subscribers being tied to their loss of cricket streaming rights. However, outrage from right-wing groups over inclusive stories, casting and messaging has also been blamed. Disney CEO Bob Iger addressed this in November 2023, saying that he’s instructed employees to prioritize storytelling over messaging. Whether this helps Disney regain the success they once achieved remains to be seen.
#1: Bud Light
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The furore over this sponsored video was outta control. In April 2023, transgender TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney uploaded a promotional video to Instagram for Bud Light. Anti-trans groups on the right were outraged. Fox News picked up the story, and a boycott followed. Kid Rock was particularly upset, filming himself shooting Bud Light cases with a machine gun. The stock price of brewing company Anheuser-Busch fell by 20%, and the company later reported a 17.5% decrease in U.S. sales, resulting in 400 people being laid off. They also announced that they would no longer be pushing Bud Light as their flagship beer - that distinction now belongs to Michelob Ultra.
What do you think of these cases? Let us know in the comments below!
