Brands can no longer sit on the sidelines. The world’s messy, and it’s impossible to avoid conversations about social and political issues. The real question is: do brands have a responsibility to take a stand? And if they do, what does that actually look like?
Let’s be clear about something: silence is complicity. If a brand isn’t engaging in conversations around fairness, inequality, violence, or corruption, it’s not neutral. It’s choosing to ignore the things that matter. And that’s a moral failure. We’re talking about what it means to stand up for what’s right, even when it’s uncomfortable. It’s about facing the fact that doing nothing in the face of injustice is a choice—one that says more than any statement could.
Is it worth alienating customers?
This is where brands often get cold feet. They don’t want to lose customers, so they stay quiet, or worse, jump in with a weak, half-hearted attempt at activism when it’s too late. This kind of “too little, too late” engagement doesn’t work. It’s insulting, and people see through it. Customers aren’t stupid. If your brand is only speaking out when it’s trendy, or if you wait until the wave of outrage reaches your doorstep, you’re not showing integrity, you’re showing opportunism.
But here’s the thing: if you’re really doing the right thing, if it aligns with your values, your customers will stick with you. The ones who don’t were probably never truly loyal to begin with. And the ones who do will respect you more for taking the hit and doing what’s right. Sure, some customers will walk away. But in the long run, you’ll find that your brand resonates deeper with the people who care about your stance.
Look at brands like Ben & Jerry’s. The founders are attempting to buy back the company after their parent corporation (Unilever) demanded an end to their social activism, including any criticisms of President Trump. They’ve always been vocal about issues like progressive politics, social and racial justice, climate change, and refugee rights. Yup, they’ve alienated people along the way, but their core audience respects them more for standing their ground. They didn’t hop on the bandwagon, they built their brand on their values. And those values attracted customers who share them. Simple as that.
What does taking a stand actually look like?
Taking a stand isn’t about tweeting a hashtag during a viral moment or putting a black square on Instagram. It’s not a PR move. It’s not just some brand statement or vague promise. It’s action. It’s about how your brand lives out its values, and how it shows up when it counts.
Take Nike’s Colin Kaepernick campaign. That wasn’t just a slogan on a t-shirt, it was a calculated decision to support someone who risked everything to make a stand for racial justice. It didn’t matter if some people hated it. Nike knew that by taking that stand, they were aligning themselves with the right side of history. Their brand wasn’t about avoiding conflict, it was about taking a hard stance and owning it. That’s what real activism looks like: living the message, not just marketing it.
What do people want to see from brands?
People aren’t asking for perfection, they’re asking for authenticity. They want brands to show up as they are, without the gloss or the filter. Customers are done with performative activism. They want to see actions that back up words. They want brands to stand on the right side of history, no matter how uncomfortable it gets. And it gets REALLY uncomfortable when you’re fighting fascism, people.
People want transparency. If you’re going to talk about climate change, are you actually minimizing your carbon footprint, or is it just a nice-sounding tagline? If you’re gonna talk about racial equality, how does your company’s hiring and promotion practices measure up? (Currently side-eyeing companies who retracted DEI policies recently: Goldman Sachs, Google, Target, Meta, Amazon, Brown-Forman (and therefore Jack Daniels, Sailor Jerry, and other big spirits labels), McDonald’s, Walmart, Ford, Lowe’s, Harley-Davidson, John Deere, and Tractor Supply.) If you’re going to denounce violence, what are you doing to foster peace in your community?
It’s about accountability. Not just for other people, but for your brand, too. If you’re not living what you’re preaching, don’t even bother speaking up. It’s better to stay silent than to engage in empty gestures. We’re smarter than that. At least we see you for what you are.
What’s our responsibility in calling out unfairness, inequality, violence, and corruption?
We’re all in this together. And if we’re not actively calling out injustice, we’re willingly letting it slide. Brands have a platform—often huge ones—and that comes with a responsibility to use it for something meaningful. You don’t get to hide behind “we’re just a business.” Being neutral means you’re letting the status quo continue, and the status quo is broken.
It’s not enough to simply condemn wrongdoing when it’s convenient. If a brand wants to be taken seriously today, it has to call out unfairness, inequality, violence, and corruption; not just in the external world, but within its own operations, too. It means being transparent about what you’re doing, why you’re doing it, and how you plan to do better. It’s not about jumping on every bandwagon, but about standing for what’s right, even when it’s uncomfortable, even when it means losing some followers. That’s our responsibility.
So, when you think about whether your brand should take a stand, think about this: Who do you want to be? Do you want to be a brand that only shows up when it’s safe or profitable? Or do you want to be a brand that stands firm on its values, even when it’s hard? People are looking for the latter. They’re looking for brands that show integrity, not just image.
The Good Guys: Brands That Walk the Talk
A few brands have managed to consistently maintain their integrity, even in the face of pressure, and they’re still holding the line:
1. Patagonia
Patagonia remains one of the gold standards for corporate responsibility. Despite its growing size, the company has kept its focus on environmental activism, using profits to fund grassroots movements and pushing the boundaries of sustainability in the fashion industry. Their commitment to ethical production and sustainability remains unwavering, even as others have scaled back their initiatives.
2. TOMS
TOMS’ commitment to social good is still embedded in its DNA. They continue to donate a portion of their profits to global causes and have expanded their model to address issues like clean water access and mental health. TOMS remains a shining example of a business that integrates philanthropy into its core mission, not just as a side project.
3. Warby Parker
Warby Parker is still a strong advocate for social causes, notably their “Buy a Pair, Give a Pair” program. They’ve made great strides in creating a business model built on transparency, ethical sourcing, and accessibility. The company continues to prioritize sustainability and social impact, and they maintain a focus on diversity in both their workforce and products.
4. Lush Cosmetics
Lush remains committed to cruelty-free products, fair trade, and environmental activism. The brand has long been vocal about sustainability, including advocating for animal rights and fighting for environmental protection. They’ve also consistently used their platform to support political causes that align with their values.
5. Allbirds
Allbirds has made a name for itself as a leader in sustainable fashion, using natural materials and being committed to transparency about their environmental impact. They’ve maintained a strong focus on reducing carbon emissions while delivering innovative, eco-friendly products.
6. REI
REI has maintained its commitment to environmental responsibility and public lands advocacy. They have continued to support sustainability initiatives and environmental activism, with notable efforts like closing on Black Friday to encourage outdoor exploration and appreciation of nature, rather than consumerism.
Let’s stop being spineless simps.
No one wants to follow brands that shy away from doing the right thing because it might upset a few people. Brands are meant to lead, not follow the trends. If your brand isn’t calling out corruption, inequality, or violence, what’s it really standing for? Avoiding tough conversations just to keep the peace is nothing more than people pleasing on a bigger scale. Peaceful complicity isn’t the goal, it’s progress. Real progress.
So, yes, you might alienate some customers. But that’s not the question. The question is: Are you willing to do what’s right, even when it costs you?
At the end of the day, being silent in the face of injustice is never neutral. It’s a choice.
And it’s not a choice we should be making anymore.
