Unmasking Brand Activism: The Thin Line Between Activism, (Mis)Activism, Boycotts, and Polarization

Al-Abdin, Ahmed ORCID: 0000-0002-5818-5736 and Raki, Amir (2025) Unmasking Brand Activism: The Thin Line Between Activism, (Mis)Activism, Boycotts, and Polarization. In: Academy of Marketing Science Conference 2025 (Montreal, Canada), 2025-5-21 - 2025-5-23, Montreal, Canada.

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Abstract

Consumer boycotts have a rich history of instigating positive societal change, as seen in the 1791 sugar boycott in England over slave-produced goods. A recent survey spanning 19 countries revealed that 59% of over 24,000 consumers were willing to boycott brands failing sustainability promises. Modern boycotts impact major brands like Amazon, Disney, Netflix, and Starbucks. Allegations against brands for not addressing UN2030 sustainability goals are rising, impacting their moral and political standings. Brand sentiment swings based on consumer perceptions. Whilst the existing literature explores themes like consumer boycott motivations, brand activism, and woke washing, no studies to our knowledge have examined how consumers authenticate boycott claims and misinformation, revealing a gap in understanding what we term as ‘brand mis-activism’. In this conceptual paper, we contribute by demystifying brand mis-activism and introduce a four-stage IIPN framework (Incubation, Immersion, Polish the halo, and Neutralization and rebranding) to illustrate how brands can mitigate mis-activism, and better in align with societal polarizations stemming from global challenges. We offer our framework as a useful practical tool for practitioners and policymakers. The IIPN framework provides actionable steps for implementation.

Item Type:	Conference Item (Unspecified)
Divisions:	Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences > School of Management
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	16 Jun 2025 09:16
Last Modified:	16 Jun 2025 09:16
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3193228