The authenticity trap
Proponents of brand activism love citing Patagonia and Ben & Jerry’s as success stories. What they conveniently ignore is that these brands built their entire identities around activism from day one. Their customer bases self-selected accordingly. Target sells affordable household goods to middle America. Best Buy sells televisions to everyone. UnitedHealth provides insurance across the political spectrum. These brands have no authentic claim to political positioning and a diverse customer base reflecting it. A 2024 Accenture report found 61% of consumers believe brands engage in activism for marketing rather than genuine impact. The cynicism is earned.
What consumers actually want
Avoid the leading questions and social signalling and you reach an uncomfortable truth that the purpose-industrial complex doesn’t want you to hear: most consumers don’t want political opinions. A Sitejabber survey found 62% of consumers care “very little to not at all” about a brand’s political affiliation. Forty-one percent actively prefer companies keep their positions private. The 2024 U.S. MONITOR reports a “selfward” turn among consumers, with more interest in personal concerns than political causes. After a decade of brand activism, the positioning pendulum is swinging. People are tired of being lectured to by their breakfast cereal and its billionaire founder.
The strategic case for silence
The 60+ Minnesota CEOs who signed that deliberately vague “de-escalation” letter understood something crucial: you can acknowledge difficult circumstances without taking a political position. The letter didn’t mention ICE. It didn’t criticize federal policy. It simply called for “real solutions.” Will this satisfy activists? No. But activists aren’t your customer base. They’re a vocal minority demanding you sacrifice commercial interests on the altar of their political priorities.
Minneapolis presents genuine tragedy and legitimate debate. Those debates belong in legislatures, courtrooms, and voting booths not marketing departments. The activists insisting that silence equals complicity are asking you to bet your company on a position that half your customers oppose. That’s not courage. That’s commercial suicide.
Build great products. Serve your customers. Create value for stakeholders. But stay in your lane.
