Brand Activism at a Crossroads: New Theoretical and Empirical Horizons in Marketing and Society

Éditeurs invités

• Antonella Cammarota, International University of Monaco
• Jessica Vredenburg, Auckland University of Technology
• Benjamin Rosenthal, Getulio Vargas Foundation

Synthèse

Brand activism has evolved into a mainstream corporate practice where companies and executives publicly engage with controversial socio-political issues. While existing literature has explored authenticity, ideology, and corporate strategies in brand activism, there remains a significant gap regarding its broader social and transformative impacts. The phenomenon has expanded across diverse contexts including non-profits, universities, CEOs, and consumers, and is studied in B2B markets, the luxury sector, and globally.

Recent developments suggest that brand activism is undergoing significant transformation. Since late 2024, many major corporations have withdrawn from diversity and inclusion commitments, scaled back activist visibility on social media, and reduced socio-political content. This shift, driven by rising populism, geopolitical conflicts, and societal polarisation, highlights a critical disconnect between existing theoretical frameworks and evolving real-world practices that scholars struggle to capture adequately.

Extrait. Lire l'appel complet sur le site de l'éditeur.

Thèmes proposés

• Changes in Brand Activism Strategies – Is brand activism taking a new form? Are we witnessing the rise of less visible, more strategic, or quieter modes of activism? How do activist brands act in the current landscape?
• Emerging Brand Activist Contexts – How, and to what extent, does brand activism manifest across different political, cultural, and geographical contexts? Particular attention is invited to the Global South and emerging markets, where civil liberties, media pluralism, or legal protections for civil rights may be limited or contested.
• Institutional Actors as Activist Agents – What happens when universities, public institutions, public figures, or cultural organisations engage in activist practices? How do these actors influence public discourse, shape political debate, or redefine the boundaries of market responsibility?
• The Transformative Effect of Brand Activism – Can marketing-driven activism lead to lasting social change, or is it ultimately limited to symbolic gestures and market-oriented performance goals?
• International and Transnational Dimensions of Activism – How does activism unfold across national borders, global supply chains, and international institutions? What new conditions arise when brand activism is framed as a systemic, transnational commitment?
• Backlash, Culture War, and Polarisation – How brand activism is affected when social and institutional risks emerge, corporate activism provokes ideological resistance, public fatigue, or consumer boycotts? How has the context of rising populism affected the conditions for brand activism?
• Consumer Activism and Spaces of Expression – Has consumer activism changed? If so, how do activist consumers influence brand strategies, communication, and positioning? How do new forms of digital and/or offline spaces affect how consumer activists express their demands, critiques, or support? Are there changes in the relationships between brands and consumer activists?
• Authenticity and Consumer Activism - How can we critically differentiate between authentic brand activism and opportunistic appropriation of activist discourse? Have consumers' understandings of authentic brand activism changed amid current shifts in the sociocultural context?
• Artificial Intelligence and Activist Contents – How is artificial intelligence transforming the creation, personalisation, and dissemination of activist messages? What ethical, moral, and authenticity-related concerns arise when activism is mediated by machine-created content?
• Shifting Channels of Activist Communication – To what extent has sociopolitical pressure prompted a shift in activist communication from open, accessible platforms - such as social media - to more niche, closed (not public) or offline spaces? What are the implications of this relocation of activism visibility and audience engagement regarding brand activism practices and social impact?
• Activism and the Depoliticisation of Society – What are the potential connections between brand activism and the depoliticisation of society? Does brand activism foster genuine political engagement and collective mobilisation, or does it risk causing activism fatigue, depoliticising conflict and reinforcing dominant ideologies? How can we critically assess the boundaries between symbolic engagement and meaningful transformation?
• Measuring Systemic Impact – How can we assess the broader societal effects of brand activism beyond corporate performance indicators or consumer responses? What critical or participatory methodologies are needed to evaluate systemic change?