The Best Brand Responses To Wednesday's Storming Of The Capitol
In times of hardship, America turns to its favorite voices of comfort: brands.
Okay, not really, but Wednesday's Storming of the Capitol was an event simply too big to ignore, particularly for corporations on social media who felt compelled to put out a statement condemning the riot. This led to several bizarre, serious statements from companies whose role in public life usually amounts largely to goofy ads and How Do You Do, Fellow Kids? social media presences.
It was reminiscent of corporate responses to the Black Lives Matter protests of Summer 2020, where companies were put in the awkward position of having to say something, even if their product is completely unrelated to the situation at hand.
By far, the creme-de-la-creme of these came from AXE Body Spray, who commented on a shot of a lone can of AXE in the rubble from the Capitol protest by affirming AXE's commitment to "the democratic process and the peaceful transition of power."
Other companies such as Coca-cola and Chevron jumped in to post more official-looking statements regarding the riot, with both companies also championing how much they believed in the democratic process.
Bagel Bites, one of the more jocular brands on Twitter, went off the cuff and for the jugular in a deleted tweet expressing their take that Donald Trump probably hates people like the protestors rioting in his name.
Then there was GameStop, who once again demonstrated their remarkable ability to piss off everyone by trying to bring everyone together around their shared love of video games in the middle of the riot.
Meanwhile, blanket-makers Sunday Citizen were forced to apologize for using the term "revolutionary" in their ad copy for a new blanket amidst a rebellion against the government. "That subject line did not mean to endorse any political revolution," wrote the blanket brand.
While Wednesday might have been a terrible moment in American history, at least we can band together knowing the brands will always be here for us.
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meerfrau85
I don't think it's totally a bad thing for a company to put out a statement condemning a bad thing. There was some cringe on there, like Gamestop and that blanket manufacturer with its winky face apology. But saying companies can't express opinions about events impacting society is a bit like saying celebrities can't express political opinions. They have big platforms and they might be able to use that wide audience for good. I'd also rather know a company's explicit stance on an issue- which hopefully lines up with any financial support they offer political candidates- than for them to stay silent and I indirectly support an agenda I strongly disagree with.
Turahk
companies don't have opinions, that's the thing
TheOtherRightSide
Welp their board does, and thanks to campaign financing laws, corporations are people to.
Kekus Trismegistus
You're trying to humanize corporation. The thing with corporation is that they're not an individual entity, unlike a celebrity. Corporation is essentially a business collective, a machination that is build for one purpose and one purpose only; to amass as many capital gain as possible.
You can be a person who work at one corporation and have your own individual political opinion and expression, nobody stops you from doing that. But when a corporation did that as a collective, you can't help but to think that that expression is just a part of machination to gather sympathy from your customer. Nobody care about your opinion when you're a thoughtless machine built for a singular purpose.
tony0304
People died and all they see is an opportunity to get their brand name out there. It's fucking disgusting.
Peanut970
"Hello, it is us, "Brand!" We have come to let you know that we dislike violence, like any good human being™ would! Remember to purchase product!"
IAmTheDanger
Black Lives Matter was totally different, they were THREATENED into saying something. A New York Nintendo store was vandalized when Nintendo took 24 hours more than the rest to say something. It was the biggest arm-pushing I have ever seen since the NBA licking the CCP's boot.
Timey16
Wonder how many of these brands donated to the GOP and Trump's campaign in particular…
KoimanZX
"…Now consume more product, peasants!"
wisehowl_the_2nd
>companies weighing in on political events
firngers
Who made [brand] the new Ja Rule?
A Concerned Rifleman
Anyone who still thinks that [BRAND] is a friend deserves whatever happens to them.