Sticky Business: When Brands Should (or Shouldn’t) Enter Political Arenas
This Week …
Sticking Together or Falling Apart: The Risks of Political Moves for Brands like Sticker Mule
Before We Go …
1. The Mule is Out of the Barn: Mixing Stickers with Politics | What are the Lessons?
Sticker Mule, a well-known and successful custom sticker company, took an unexpected dive into political waters last week by sending a political message to its customers after the attempted assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. The X posts and email, signed by co-founder Anthony Constantino, were perceived by many customers as off-brand communications from the company which had never before engaged in political discourse. The outreach was shocking to some customers and according to reports, to some employees as well.
The backlash was swift and intense from the company’s customers. Social media erupted with criticism, and the company reportedly lost a significant number of followers on Instagram and faced cancellations from long-time customers who felt betrayed by the sudden political stance.
This incident raises pertinent questions about the implications for CEOs and businesses when they decide to voice political opinions, especially when it diverges from their usual brand communications.
Get to Know the Sticker Mule Brand:
“We aim to build an incredible experience for ordering custom products. Wasting time sucks. That’s why we relentlessly focus on making it fast and easy to order custom products. Order in seconds and get your products in days. Free proofs, free artwork help, free shipping and fast turnaround are why people love us.”
Hiring Values:
Work with us: We’re united by a desire to do great work while maintaining a stress-free work environment that’s designed to attract like-minded people who share our culture. (See Image Below)
“Our new goal is to make the next 10 years happier for everyone. Financial ‘success’ as a never-ending goal is a crazy thing. We started Sticker Mule with a plan to be fast, simple and fun. It’s time to focus on fun.”
Key Question: Does the brand align with sending a political endorsement to all customers?
News Headlines:
Forbes: Sticker Mule’s Political Stance Undermines Workplace Inclusion And Customer Trust
Axios: Sticker Mule founder emails pro-Trump beliefs to all customers
“According to Constantino, he drafted the statement while getting a haircut and did not communicate this message to all 1,200 employees before blasting it across X.”
CNBC: Business owner goes viral for mass ‘Trump 2024’ email—why he missed the mark, from a ‘productive discourse’ expert
If you want to maximize your impact, keep your messaging within your company, says Steven Collis, a productive discourse expert and author of the upcoming book, “Habits of a Peacemaker: 10 Habits to Change Our Potentially Toxic Conversations into Healthy Dialogues.”
Read Collis’ Do’s and don’ts for public statements in the article
Good example of a public statement from JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon
He keeps the message focused and doesn’t offer his personal political views.
DailyDot: Sticker Mule customers revolt over founder’s demand they stop hating Trump. The message didn’t stick.
Key Question: If a business leader is considering sending a message out from company channels with a specific political point of view, what are some considerations?:
Consequences to Consider:
Customer Alienation: As seen with Sticker Mule, taking a political stance can lead to a loss of customers who do not share the same views or who simply prefer to keep business and politics separate. This can damage the brand's reputation and customer loyalty.
Employee Alienation: Will entering politics stress the culture and internal communications? Will it distract from the mission? How will upset employees be supported? How hard is it to replace employees who decide to leave?
Public Backlash: The public's reaction can be overwhelmingly negative, with widespread criticism on social media platforms leading to a tarnished brand image.
Financial Impact: Loss of business and decreased sales can follow as customers seek alternatives, impacting the company's bottom line.
Dissonance with Brand: If entry into the political world is jarring and misaligned with the company’s brand, it’s possible the brand would need to evolve to accommodate for the new political positioning.
Potential Benefits:
Honest Brand Identity: For some companies, taking a political stance can reinforce and clarify their brand identity and resonate deeply with a particular customer base that shares those views. (Are your employees with you?)
Increased Loyalty from Supporters: While some customers may leave, those who agree with the stance might become even more loyal and supportive, potentially leading to stronger advocacy for the brand.
Public Attention: Controversial moves can bring significant media attention, which, if managed well, can increase brand visibility and attract new customers who align with the company's views.
2. Before We Go …
Reads & Seeds: Newsweek: Us-Vs-Them Narratives Are the Wrong Response to Trump Shooting | Opinion
Zachary Elwood is the author of "Defusing American Anger" and "How Contempt Destroys Democracy," and he hosts the psychology podcast People Who Read People.
His opinion editorial offers “Thoughts on using the ‘turnabout test’ to examine whether your responses/reactions are rational or may be biased and emotional.”
“In a complex world, it's easy to build all sorts of narratives. Some will be more true than others; obviously not all concerns are unfounded or irrational. But we must try to see how conflict deranges us—how it tends to make our views more pessimistic and paranoid.”
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