From Gillette’s ads featuring a transgender teen and challenging notions of masculinity, to Nike’s commercials featuring women athletes and Colin Kaepernick, many brands seem to be making the calculation that it’s worth it for them to take a stance on political or social issues. But how do they make those decisions, and what happens if it backfires on them? And how should companies approach the new era where not just consumer activism, but employee activism — like the recent Wayfair worker protests — is becoming more popular?
Jim Braude was joined by Susan Fournier, dean of the Boston University Questrom School of Business, and Sandy Lish, co-founder of the Castle Group.
